Journey to Find the One
by skittlesmomma27
Summary: Follow Edward and Bella as they prepare to become parents while also seeing how they became to be. The journey is not always sunshine and roses but throughout it all Edward and Bella are each others rock. Despite the first chapter this IS an EdwardxBella love story.
1. Now

**Chapter 1**

**Now**

I couldn't stop the smile on my face as I heard the groans in reaction to the words I wrote in big bold letters across the top of the blackboard. POP QUIZ. I taught English at Breaking Dawn Academy in Suffolk, Virginia and this was the middle of my third year teaching here. While I didn't show any favoritism between any of my students or any of my classes this was my favorite class to teach because they were the most mature group of students I had this year. We were getting close to Christmas break with only one big test left for this semester so things were a bit chilled out during this period. The Pop quiz was simply a unique way to help them review.

"Um, Mrs. Masen?" one of my students asked from behind me, Claire. I smiled at hearing that name because it reminded me that I was indeed Mrs. Masen now. I had finally married the love of my life, Edward Masen, six months ago in Hawaii with just our closest friends and family around. It hasn't been easy but we finally made it down the aisle despite all the obstacles we had overcome in the almost five years we had been together.

"Yes, Claire?" I asked without turning around. Claire was one of my inquisitive students, if she had a question, opinion, or concern she usually asked to voice it.

She chuckled before answering. "Are you and Mr. M. having a baby?" She asked excitedly.

Laying the chalk in the tray I turned to face my class. I had been teaching in this same classroom ever since I had landed the job during my final semester of college. Breaking Dawn Academy had been a brand new private school looking for young teachers who were eager to help shape the young minds of the local community; Edward, Jasper, and I had all landed jobs here. I had graduated from Brown University two years ago this past May with two degrees; Education and English. Laying a hand over the gentle swell of my stomach where our first child did indeed lay growing I smiled at all of my students.

We found out seven weeks ago that we were expecting but wanted to keep it quiet until we couldn't anymore. Apparently that time had finally came. Having a slim build made hiding a pregnancy difficult to begin with, not to mention the fact that I was currently almost sixteen weeks pregnant. I had cried when I couldn't fasten my favorite pants anymore just a mere four weeks ago and had to give in and go shopping for maternity clothes that would allow me to hide my baby bump for a little longer.

"Our personal lives are just that, Claire, personal." I told her with a pretend scowl.

The entire class just busted out laughing. "If you wanted it personal then you shouldn't make out in the band room during your free period." James hollered from the back of the room.

I groaned and hung my head in mock shame because honestly there was no shame where Edward was concerned. Clearing my throat I raised my head up as I hopped up onto the edge of my desk. "Well, James, if you wouldn't have picked the lock so you could sneak in and make out with Victoria then you wouldn't have caught us and it would still indeed still be personal instead of public." I told him with a sincere smile.

The whole class busted out laughing as he hung his head. "Now, Claire, how did you hear about us having a baby?" I asked her.

She just giggled. "I heard you throwing up the other morning before the first bell rang, I was here working on my marine biology project when Mr. M asked you how long this was supposed to go on. Taylor and I have a bet going. He thinks you are just getting…getting…" She said as a blush crept to her cheeks. "And I said you were pregnant." She said with a deep blush on her entire face and chest.

I groaned and nodded because morning sickness was the one part of pregnancy that I did not like because it seemed to last all damn day long and hit you at the most inopportune times, like as soon as I walked into the building last week. "Yes, we are pregnant. Almost sixteen weeks, actually." I told her with a huge smile as I smoothed my shirt down over my baby bump, exposing it for the first time instead of hiding it, causing the entire class to laugh and cheer in excitement.

The entire class cheered as I blushed from embarrassment at their response to seeing my baby bump. "Can you tell us how you met him?" One of the more shy girls, Jessa, asked quietly.

"You guys are supposed to be taking a pop quiz not learning about mine and Edward's history." I told them with a shake of my head.

"Please. Please. Please." The entire class begged causing me to groan.

I held my hands up to quiet them down. "Fine. Pop quiz first then I will tell you how Edward and I became to be. Deal?" I asked them with a smile.

"Deal." They all called out as they cleared their desks except for a single sheet of paper and a pencil.

I hopped off the desk and walked back to the blackboard to give the simple five question quiz. Once all the papers were turned in I hopped back up on the desk and began our story. "I have known Edward since I was just eleven years old and he was thirteen." I told them with a smile.

"Were you guys high school sweethearts?" Mary-Beth, another one of my more outspoken students asked.

I had to laugh at that because it was the farthest thing from the truth but we had both come so far since those days. "No, I was actually dating his brother when I graduated high school."

"You dated Mr. Jasper?" Nichole asked with a shocked look on her face.

I nodded. "I did, for over six years actually." I laughed at their shocked faces. It was shocking at how naïve teenagers could be, but I was like that once too. When I graduated high school, Jasper and I had been dating for almost five years and had plans to attend Brown University together with our best friend, Rosalie. The first bump in the road was when Jasper didn't get accepted to Brown with Rose and I but rather had to settle for going to the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, about thirty minutes away. I had always figured that we would get married and settle down together but boy was I wrong. We dated for almost three semesters at college before things went to hell in a hand basket.

"So how did you and Mr. M get started if you were dating Mr. Jasper?" Mary Beth asked me, the excitement clearly in her voice.

I took a deep breath and launched into my history with the Whitlock/Masen brothers. "It all changed one night while I was at work at this little diner…."


	2. Moving on from the past

**Chapter 2**

**Moving on from the past…**

**November 2004**

"Thank you and have a nice evening!" I said for what felt like the millionth time as I handed my customer their change back shutting the cash register with my hip yet again. I groaned as I heard a throat clearing behind me because honestly I wasn't in the mood to deal with anybody's bullshit tonight. Much less the snobby bitches that I happened to be stuck working with tonight because Rose had the night off.

"All the sincere smiles in the world aren't going to get you a bigger tip, you know." Jessica said as she stood behind me wrapping silverware so she could leave early.

"Why don't you mind your own business and just stick to your job?" I sneered at her as I grabbed the coffee pot and headed for my tables.

I had been a waitress at Owen's the entire time I had been in Rhode Island, about 18 months or so, and was promoted to evening manager just last month. This severely pissed off several of my co-workers that had been there just as long if not longer than me, and Jasper. I had worked my ass off whereas some of the other girls used this place to pick up guys or chat with their friends or do homework or catch up with twitter and Facebook. It didn't hurt that I had transferred from my old waitressing job back in my sleepy hometown of Forks, Washington.

I had started working at 'The Diner' the minute I had turned 16 out of pure boredom, my dad hadn't put up much of a fight either because he said my boredom made him worry. He just simply said that if my grades dropped then the job would be dropped. It had been just us since I was nine weeks old when my mom had up and left one day. My dad said that she waltzed into the station one day with me in my carrier and a diaper bag saying she couldn't handle me anymore and it was his turn before setting me on the desk, turning her back on us and the town without another word.

I made my rounds lost in my thoughts allowing the night to wind down. About 15 or 20 minutes to closing I gasped in surprise as arms grabbed me from behind spinning me around in a circle. "You scared the shit out of me!" I told my boyfriend, Jasper Whitlock, of over six years as I slapped him on the arm once he sat me back on my feet. "What are you doing here?" I asked him because he was supposed to be at some art show downtown. He had become obsessed with them lately but I chalked it up to one of classes getting him interested.

"I was hoping we could go for a drive after work and talk." He said as he stepped back from me, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

I instantly got worried because this was so out of character for him. I knew things hadn't been going that great in the past few months but I wasn't willing to give up on a six year relationship just yet. "Yeah, that's fine. Don't forget that I have class in the morning so we can't be out too late." I told him as I saw Mr. and Mrs. Leary, my sweet old couple regulars, walking to the register with their check.

"Have a good night, you guys. See you next week." I called to them as they walked out of the little restaurant hand in hand a few minutes later.

"Thanks Bella, have a nice night." They called as they walked out the door with a wave.

"Where's Rosie tonight?" He asked as he hopped up onto a bar stool playing with his phone while I went about my nightly duties as the final customers finally trickled out the door.

"She's on a date tonight with Emmett, I told you that yesterday when we talked." I told him as I straightened up behind the counter to get it ready for the morning shift. "How was the art show?" I asked him when I didn't hear him tapping on his phone anymore.

"It was good, lots of interesting pieces." He said with a smile before his phone dinged again garnering his attention.

I sighed as I locked the door and flipped the outside lights off. "Tired, babe?" Jasper asked as he laid his phone down on the counter for a brief second.

I nodded as I grabbed the cleaning spray bottle and a fresh rag so I could wipe all the tables down. "Yeah, it's been a rough one with Jessica working tonight." I told him as I quickly wiped all the tables down before flipping the chairs upside down on the tables.

"I bet. You worked too much before becoming manager but your hours have only gotten more insane since that promotion. We never have any time together anymore." He complained as his phone dinged again. This was a common complaint of his but I didn't have a dead parent's settlement to live off of, my dad was the police chief of a small town who could barely make his own ends meet much less support a daughter who lived clear across the country from him and attended an Ivy League school. I had worked my ass off in high school to get a full ride scholarship to Brown so that my dad and I wouldn't have to worry about tuition and books, and I had done it all with a smile on my face. Now, I worked my ass off to make sure I had money to pay my half of the bills and some extra money to be the college student that I was. It was almost the halfway point of our sophomore year and I couldn't be more excited about my classes.

I rolled my eyes at his phone. My job and his phone was usually what sparked our arguments these days. "You know I need this job, Jazz."

He ignored my comment as his phone buzzed again so I just went about my nightly routine and within twenty minutes I was locking the door for the night. "Where are we going?" I asked him quietly as I followed him to his truck which had been a graduation present from his mom.

"I figured we could go to that park down the road from your apartment and talk before I take you home. Will that be okay?" He asked as we both hopped up into the truck shutting our doors behind us. Chivalry had never been high on Jasper's list of priorities so I had quickly thrown that childhood notion out the window when we started actually going places.

I nodded as I laid my purse on the floor before snapping my seatbelt in place. "That's fine, as long as we aren't out too late." I reminded him.

"We won't be, I promise." He said as he cranked the truck and smiled at the sound of the pipes growling.

I groaned because they were really loud, especially this late at night. "Geez, those pipes are loud."

We were at the park within ten minutes, walking to the swings so we could sit and talk. "What's up, Jazz? You're acting strange tonight." I told him as I sat down on the swing, setting a gentle rhythm.

He sighed and sat on the swing next to me. "I don't know how to do this, Bella. I just don't want to hurt you but I know it's unavoidable, especially now." He said softly and I immediately knew that he wanted to break up.

"It's okay, Jazz. I know we haven't been meshing too well the past few months." I mumbled lowly.

He sighed. "It's not just that, Bella. I have met someone else and I'm in love with her. Her name is Alice." He admitted honestly.

That shocked me because I had never pegged Jasper as a cheater. Yeah, chivalry wasn't a priority for him but I had thought deep down that he was a genuinely good guy but apparently I was wrong. "Come again?" I asked him as I stood from the swing to face him.

He hung his head in shame. "I've been seeing her for about three months now, Bella. She's threatening to leave me if I didn't come clean. She gave me the ultimatum tonight."

"Why would you do that, Jazz? HOW could you do it?" I asked him as I backed away from him in shock.

He stood up and started towards me. "I didn't mean for it to happen, Bella. I swear."

I held my hand out to stop his advances as I shook my head in indignation. "Have you been sleeping with both of us?" I asked because I honestly wanted to know because I knew for a fact that we had slept together in the past few days.

He hung his head which gave me all the answers I needed. "I didn't mean for any of it to happen." He said quietly.

"You didn't mean for it to happen? Did your DICK JUST HAPPEN TO FALL OUT OF YOUR PANTS AND INTO HERS?" I screamed at him as I felt my blood begin to boil at the thought of everything I had worked for for the past six and a half years was all so I could be cheated on and dumped.

Instead of waiting for him to answer I stormed off into the woods that led to my townhouse that I shared with my best friend, roommate, and co-worker, Rosalie. Rose, Jasper, and I had been best friends since him, his older half-brother, Edward, and their mother, Esme, had moved in just down the road from mine and Rose's houses when Jasper, Rose, and I were just eleven years old. Once Jasper and I started dating at thirteen years old he had been the dutiful boyfriend and best friend while his brother slept with anything and everything that wore a skirt. Now I was beginning to think that maybe they had more in common than I had originally thought.

I was almost to my house when my phone dinged from my back pocket. I pulled it out and groaned when I saw Edward's name and number appear on the screen. "What do you want?" I snapped into the phone.

What did you do to my brother?" He snapped back. "He just called me in a panic because you stormed off into the woods and now he can't find you."

I barked out a laugh. "What did I do? Maybe you ought to ask him what he's been doing for the past few months. Or better yet, ask him who instead of what and I'm at home now." I snapped at him before hanging up on him and stuffing my phone back in my pocket as I continued the last little bit towards home. Edward was two years older than Jasper, Rose, and I and attended Brown like Rose and I. He was finishing his senior year while Rose and I were sophomores. I was the last one of Rose, Jasper, and myself to turn 20 while Edward was 22.

"Go away, Jasper. I'm done with you." I told him when I saw him sitting on the tailgate of his truck in front of the townhouse. "Why would you call your brother?" I seethed as I walked past him towards my front door.

He hopped off the truck and started towards me. "I was worried about you. Please let me explain."

I stopped in my tracks as I turned to face him. In a deadpan voice I stopped him in his tracks. "If you relish your balls attached to your body then I would stop right where you're at. And think very hard before speaking to me or touching me in any way."

He sighed and took a deep breath. "Will you please let me explain? We have been friends most of our lives."

I laughed and shook my head. "I don't need an explanation on the finer lines of how you cheated on me. Thank you very much. Please go away so that the friendship you mentioned may be able to be saved." I told him as I stepped around walking straight to my front door without another word.

I walked inside, locked the door, and never looked back to see if he left or stayed. "Rosie!?" I called out into the apartment.

"What's up, B? Rough night at work?" she asked as she walked out of the kitchen with a pint of ice cream and a spoon.

I laughed bitterly as I flopped down into my favorite chair in the living room. "No but it was a rough night afterwards." I told her with an eye roll as she sat down indian style in the corner of our purple couch she had fought me over.

"What happened?" She asked concerned as she dug into her ice cream.

I sighed as I kicked off my shoes, curling up in my chair, hugging the pillow to my chest. "Jasper told me that he was in love with some girl named Alice who he's been seeing for the past few months." I told her summing up my after work activities.

"What?" She asked angrily as she sat forward on the couch holding the ice cream out for me. "I think you need this more than I do."

I laughed and shook my head. "Thanks but ice cream isn't going to fix this. I just need to move on with my life." I told her honestly. "I'm more pissed off that he felt like he had to cheat on me instead of just telling me he liked somebody else."

She nodded. "Sounds good to me, sissy. How can I help?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Right now I just want to focus on work and my classes."

"Okay, the semester will be finished in a little over three weeks now and then we have winter break for a month. We can always go back home for a few weeks to get away from everything?" she asked as she took another bite of her ice cream.

"I don't know, sissy. I would love to go see Charlie but I just got that promotion at work and I need this job." I told her honestly because even though I got tired of never having any free time it provided structure and stability in my life that I wasn't willing to give up.

Rose nodded in understanding. "I know, sissy. Just think about it. We haven't been back since we moved here and Christmas is coming up. We missed last Christmas because we both had to work and didn't have any vacation time but now we do. Owen will understand, he loves us." She reminded me.

"Jasper and I were supposed to go spend a week on the beach in Florida for New Years." I said solemnly.

"Screw that little cheatin' prick, we will go back home and have a blast without him. Who needs Florida when we can have Charlie?" She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

I smiled and decided to just go for it. "You are right, as usual. I'll put in my vacation request tomorrow afternoon." I told her with a smile which caused her to launch at me with an excited scream.

"Rosie, he's your friend too. You don't have to blow him off just for me." I told her before we separated for the night. Jasper had tried to call her several times while we discussed our upcoming vacation back home but she had just sent him to voicemail each time.

She just shrugged. "I'll think about it."

We both put our vacation requests in the next afternoon and were immediately told to go and have fun and to enjoy our Christmas vacation back home. Owen's was a down to earth little café that had a very understanding owner as long as you pulled your weight while on the clock.

"Hey, sissy, do you care if I leave early tonight?" Rose asked as she hopped up onto the counter beside the cash register.

I looked around the dining room and smiled because it was Monday night and things were dead, as usual. "Nope. You going to Emmett's?" I asked her with a crooked smile because she and Emmett had been inseparable since they started dating just a little over a month into our first semester.

She shook her head. "Nope, we are meeting up to take the girls ice skating." She said with a giddy smile on her face. Emmett had two adorable little girls, Elizabeth or Lizzy as she preferred, who was four years old and also thirteen month old Abigail or Abby as Emmett called her. Lizzy's mother had died during child birth when she and Emmett were just sixteen years old. It was a complicated and loving story that resulted in a smart and beautiful little girl. Abby also had a complicated beginning, she was actually Emmett's sister's niece but his sister was currently serving time in a state prison. Emmett had adopted Abby just a mere five weeks after he and Rose started dating.

"Okay, get out of here but don't come bitching at me when you are broke on our trip home." I told her with a pointed glare.

She just laughed and hopped off the counter. "I won't. I'm going to ask Emmett if he and the girls want to come home with us. I want Charlie to meet them. You don't mind do you?"

I shook my head as she giggled, grabbed her purse, and high tailed it out of the café.

"Bella?" I heard from the other side of the counter, I was bent down stacking all the salt, pepper, and sugar shakers on the shelf for the night.

I groaned because I knew that voice, I had lived for that voice for over six years but now the sound of it made my blood boil. "What do you want Jasper?" I asked without raising up.

"Will you please raise up here and look at me?" He asked quietly.

"I don't think you deserve that respect anymore. Go away. I can't talk to you right now." I snapped at him as I rearranged the shakers on the shelf just so I wouldn't have to raise up.

I groaned when I heard the bar stool scrape against the tile floor indicating he was going to stay for a bit. "I'm not leaving until you talk to me, Bella. I'm not going to allow you to throw our friendship away because of my actions."

I sighed as I took a deep breath and stood up slapping my hands against the counter. "You do NOT get to ambush me while I am at WORK!" I hissed at him angrily. "You DO NOT get to tell ME what I'm allowed to do. YOU cheated on me. YOU are the one throwing away our ten year friendship NOT ME! I reserve the right to be wholly pissed off until I am ready to not be pissed off anymore, and that is NOT right now. GET OUT!" I hissed at him as I snapped my arm to the front door.

When he didn't move I leaned across the counter. "Do you like your balls? Do you want to have children one day?" I growled in his face and smiled on the inside when I saw him gulp because he knew I was serious.

"Yes." He croaked out as if in pain.

"Good, then I suggest you get the hell out of here. NOW." I snapped as I leaned back out of his face.

I smiled and did a little happy dance as he practically ran out of the café. It served his ass right because my father had raised no coward. Even though our relationship hadn't been on the best grounds in the last six months or so it gave him no right to cheat on me and hide it from me for three months.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

It was seven days after the now notorious break up when Rose proposed going to get a new tattoo to mark the occasion. I readily agreed because I had quickly become addicted to the getting inked process. Garrett and Kate had been the ones to do our tattoos the day we arrived in Rhode Island and we kept coming back to them.

Rose had decided that she was just going to get the start of what would be one huge winding tattoo when it was finished. It was a trail of different sized stars that started at the base of her neck and would end wherever she wanted it to. Inside each star was a date to signify an important moment in her life. She got two that day, one signifying leaving her past behind and one to represent the big move across the country. I decided to get a beautiful pink hibiscus on the top of my shoulder surrounded by pink and black swirls. It was fairly huge, about eleven inches from side to side.

Walking into the tattoo parlor that we visited fairly frequently since moving to Rhode Island was like entering a secret forbidden paradise. Kate, the shop manager/owner sat behind the desk rubbing her very swollen stomach. "Katie, when did this happen?" Rose asked as she hopped up on the counter beside her.

"Nice to see you girls. It's been way too long, obviously. This latest little one is due just any week now. What are you girls wanting done today?" She asked as she sat back in her swivel chair. She was beautiful and had tattoo's from the base of her throat all the way to her toes. She was also married to the tattoo artist, Garrett, and the mother to their four soon to be five children. Rose and I had laughed humorously when we first learned of their kids' names. They were all named after the city they were conceived in. London. Sydney. Phoenix. Dallas.

Rose just smiled at her as she reached over rubbing her stomach gently. "We are getting something to mark the momentous occasion of this chicky being single for the first time since we were 13."

Kate looked at me big wide blue eyes. "You and Jasper done?"

I nodded as I nibbled on my lip. "Yep, today marks one week."

"Congratulations." Kate said as she handed me a stack of tattoo drawings. "Any idea what you want to mark the occasion?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not really. Maybe a toad going up in flames?" I told her as I began flipping through the book to look at the hand drawn pictures of Kate and Garrett's.

"Garrett should be finished soon enough. He's finishing up a huge back piece for a long time customer." She said pointing over her shoulder to the back room where Garrett did his work. "I'm assuming you just want another star added along with some swirls?" She asked nodding in Rose's direction.

Rose nodded. "Yep."

"What's the occasion this time?"

"Abby's adoption papers came in the mail the other day." She said with a smile that caused me to gasp.

I slapped her on the shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her angrily. Rose had told me that she and Emmett had talked about her legally adopting Abby on her birthday but had said nothing else about it. The little girls birthday was just a few weeks ago.

"I was going to tell you the night dumbass found his nuts and told you cheated on you." Rose said causing a very angry boom to come from the back of the shop.

"Cheat on one of my girls? I'M GONNA GRIND HIS NUTS UP IN A BLENDER!" I smiled at Garrett's booming voice. He had quickly become a second father figure for me in this strange town we now called home. I spent most of my summer here last year when I wasn't working at Owen's just chatting with them because they were right down the street from the townhouse.

Rose shook her head at Garrett's outburst. "Not before I do but I don't think we have to worry about him coming around for a while because Bella threatened them also and then I get second dibs on them."

Garrett just shook his head as pushed the curtain aside walking out of the backroom with a familiar head of bronze colored hair behind him. I gasped as I noticed Edward was shirtless. "What's going on, Gar?" Edward asked curiously as he tugged his earbuds out of his ears.

"Edward?" I asked just to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"Bella? Rose? What are you guys doing here?"

Ever the smartass Rose piped up before I could. "Getting tattoos, dumbasses brother. Same as you I would assume since this is a tattoo parlor."

"Nice to see you again Rosalie."

Rose just huffed tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder rolling her eyes at him. "You ready, DILF Garrett?" She asked him playfully batting her lashes at him which caused Garrett to blush and the rest of us to bust out laughing.

"Yep." He said as Rose sidled up to him while shooting daggers at Edward as he walked past her towards the counter where Kate and I was.

"Don't hurt him too bad, Rose. He's got a lot of work when Brooklyn gets here in a few weeks!" Kate called out to them as they disappeared through the curtains.

Edward sidled up next to me pulling his wallet out of his back pants pocket to pay Kate. "How are you, Bella?"

I shrugged as I got a glimpse of Edward's tattoo. I never knew he had any but it's not like we really spent any time together, and never shirtless. Our relationship since I was about fourteen had mostly consisted of spoken pleasantries, stilted conversations, or awkward silences. "I'm dealing, I guess. Have you talked to Jasper?"

I saw him toss a stack of money on the counter by Kate before winking at her. "Thanks, Katie."

"No problem, Eddie. Always a pleasure." She said with a smile as she grabbed the money and headed for the back of the small business.

Edward turned so that he was facing the front doors as he leaned back against the counter leaning on his elbows. "I've talked to him a few times this week but he's not my favorite person this week. I don't agree with the way he's done things lately, especially considering how long you guys have been friends.

I sighed and shook my head. "Yeah, but what's done is done, Edward. Nothing we do or say can change how things went down. The thing that pisses me off the most is that he was having sex with both of us the past few months."

I visibly watched Edward's reaction to that bit of news, it becoming perfectly clear that Jasper had neglected that bit of information. His jaw tightened in anger and his hands rung his t-shirt tightly in his hands as he began pacing. "That bastard. Ma's gonna kill him when she finds out."

"Edward! That's your brother." I told him as I put my hand on his bare arm. "Don't be angry at him because of me. I will be fine. I am fine." I told him gently. I had an STD and HIV test ran a few days after the incident making me feel dirty but thankfully they had come back clean.

Edward shook his head as he paced in the small foyer. "He shouldn't have done that to you. Jesus, wait until mom finds out what he did. She's gonna rip him a new asshole. She's always thought of you as a daughter and he treats you as if you are disposable? Unacceptable."

I couldn't help but watch the muscles in his arms as he twisted his shirt in his hands as he paced the small foyer. I was intrigued by his tattoo but I couldn't get a clear shot of his as he continued his back and forth trek. "Edward, stop." I told him as I stepped into his path stopping him mid-stride. "I haven't said anything to anybody other than Rose and now you. I'm assuming he hasn't either because I haven't gotten any phone calls from her or Charlie. Don't say anything, Edward, not yet. I know we haven't ever really gotten along that well but please do that for me. Don't ruin the holidays for everyone." I pleaded with him quietly as I stepped out of his way leaning against the counter once more.

"The holidays? You're worried about the holidays, Bella? How is it gonna look when he shows up with his new girlfriend and you are still here? Huh? Have you thought about that scenario?" He asked as he stalked towards me suddenly trapping me against the counter.

I sighed and shook my head. "I'm not staying here, I'm going home for Christmas. Rose and I both are." I told him quietly because that's all I could think of to say with him standing so close to me. For the first time ever I got a good look at his bright green eyes, they were sparkling with his anger.

He just quirked an eyebrow at me before smirking. "Really? Hmm….this is going to be an interesting holiday break but not in the way I was thinking."

"Don't make it any bigger than it's already gonna be, Edward. This doesn't concern you. So, please just stay out of it." I begged him quietly

I watched as his eyes narrowed before he quickly grabbed the sides of my face pulling me to him. "You don't know a damn thing, Isabella." He whispered locking eyes with me as he held my face as if I may break into a million piece right before his very eyes.

A noise from behind us broke us apart garnering my attention with a blink of an eye he was gone. Nowhere in sight.

"Where did Masen run off to? Too scared to face me?" Rose asked as she came back into the room with her shirt in place as if she hadn't had a star, swirls, and date added to her back.

I shook my head. "I don't know where he went. One second we were talking and the next he was gone." I told her as I tried to come to terms with the way Edward had looked at me and held my face so gently before we were interrupted.

"Uh huh."

"Come with me, sweetness." Garrett said as he held out an arm for me.

I just smiled as I sidled up next to him. "So Brooklyn, huh?" I teased him as we walked through the thick curtains and into his sanctuary.

He just smiled. "We went to New York City for a tattoo convention and came back with a forever present to mark the occasion."

I laughed. "Yeah, Kate doesn't seem too thrilled about it." I told him as I hopped up on the table he patted

"She's just miserable because it is so close to the end. She's excited because it happens to be another little girl that she can dress up. Poor Dallas and Phoenix are going to be outnumbered when we just levelled the playing field last year." He said shaking his head.

"I think Kate may like outnumbering you boys. Can you make a toad look cute?" I asked him curiously.

He doubled over with his laughter. "A toad? Really?"

The smirk that graced my face couldn't be helped. "Yep, a toad with flames."

"Okay, I will do my best. Can I free hand it?"

"Absolutely." I told him as I laid down on the table, tugging my yoga pants down to expose the hip that I wanted it on.

The end product was beautiful. It was a beautiful toad that was surrounded by bright orange and red flames. It was absolutely perfect to mark the end of a six year relationship. "Thanks, Garrett. Send me pics when baby Brooklyn gets here, okay?" I asked the gentle tattooed man as I rolled the waistband of my pants down so it didn't press on the fresh ink.

"Absolutely, sweetness. You tell Jasper that he is lucky to be alive after what he did to you. The fact that you are smiling and seem to be okay is all that is saving his manhood from my Katie's blender." He said as he pulled me into a hug. He had never really liked Jasper, which had been obvious from the first time I had brought him to the shop with me.


	3. Now 2

**Chapter 3**

**Now**

"Did you know that I am telling my Advanced English 12 class our story?" I asked Edward as I sat on top of his desk as we ate our lunch. Edward was sitting in his chair with my bare feet in his lap rubbing the bottoms of them like the sweet and attentive husband he was. Ever since finding out we were pregnant he had made a point of us eating lunch every day in his office making sure my feet didn't swell and I just plain relaxed for a little bit.

He groaned and laid his head back. "Yeah, Justin told me as he walked in to my music theory class last period. He had to rub it in that Jasper had you first." He said with a smile.

"And just what did you tell him?" I asked as I leaned back with my hands flat on the desk behind me.

"I told him that Jasper may have had you first but I had you forever." He said sweetly.

I groaned. "You kill me with your cheese, Edward."

"I could never kill you, my love, I love you from now until forever." He said as he leaned forward, raising the hem of my sweater up so that he could have his lunch time chat with our baby. This had become another tradition of sorts but I would never complain because it was honestly the sweetest thing I had ever seen. "I love you too, peanut. You have been good today with not getting your mommy sick, let's keep up the good work okay? Daddy worked on your lullaby today but it would help if you cooperated a little next week so we can find out if you are a boy peanut or girl peanut. Daddy loves you sweet baby, whether you are a boy or a girl."

I sunk my fingers in his hair as he place kisses all over my gently rounded stomach which caused shivers to race down my spine. "Edward…" I trailed off as his kisses turned from playful to more sensual.

"I can't help it, my love, you look so sexy sitting on my desk." He said as he pulled back to stand up between my spread knees.

"We can't do this Edward…" I told him as I tugged his face to mine, our lips meeting in a passionate mix of sliding tongues, nipping teeth, and sucking lips.

He sunk his fingers in my hair at the base of my scalp as he pulled away breathlessly. "Oh yes, we can, my love." He said before meshing our lips once again.

A knock on the door caused us to groan and break apart. "Come in!" Edward called as he ran a hand through his hair, tugging on it slightly.

"You guys were so going at it on top of the desk weren't you?" Alice, Jasper's wife of almost five years asked as she waddled in the room, hugely swollen with their second baby, Jasper Alexander. They would celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this New Year's Day.

I shook my head. "Nope, you interrupted us before we could get started. What are you doing here? Thought you were on bed rest?" I asked her as Edward rolled his chair over for her to sit down in.

"I've come to kidnap Jasper for the next few weeks. He gets to get an early start on his Christmas break." She said with a smile as she rubbed her stomach. She swore this baby was going to come out weighing twenty pounds, but we all reassured her that she looked gorgeous and radiant. She wasn't near this big when she had their first child, Arianna or Ari, four years ago this December. December was a huge month for this family. Mine and Edward's get-together anniversary, Jasper and Alice's wedding anniversary, Ari's birthday, Alex's birthday, and Christmas.

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion at her words but then I caught her as she slightly cringed as she sat down in the chair. "Mary Alice, are you in labor right now?" I asked her as I hopped off the desk as gracefully as I could manage being four months pregnant myself. She was acting so different from when she went into labor with Ari but this was her second time around.

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I've been having contractions since about four this morning but they are finally close enough together to warrant a trip to the hospital. I just dropped Ari off with Charlie and Sue." She said as she took a deep breath.

"Since four this morning? Do you need us to pick her up after we get off?" I asked her calmly.

She shook her head. "Yes but I didn't want to be stuck in the hospital all day and I think you would have to fight Charlie over Ari. I think he likes being doted on by all the granddaughters." She said with a smile because now that my dad was retired and living close by he liked to babysit all of his 'granddaughters' to keep him occupied. He considered Jasper and Alice's children as well as Emmett and Rose's children to be his grandkids since I had yet to give him any to spoil.

More often than not you would find him out in the middle of the pond behind his house in a boat with all five of his granddaughters with him. Rose and Emmett had Abby and Lizzy as well as Jacqueline, Jacquie, who was considered everybody's miracle baby because of her birth. They also had Annabelle, Anna, who they adopted just over two years ago when they had finally decided to add to their family of five. Alice and Jasper had Arianna and soon enough would have the only boy in the family, Alex. The girls were usually playing with their Barbie's or reading or coloring in the bottom of the boat while Papa Charlie fished but they all enjoyed spending time out there with their 'Papa'.

"Okay, well you better get going then. We don't want baby Alex coming out while you are in the school." I told her as Edward wrapped his arms around my waist from behind cradling our baby gently.

She nodded as she tightened her grip on the arm of the chair, I presumed as another contraction hit her. "Yeah, they are getting closer together so I better get going." She said as she took a deep breath and stood up.

"Good luck." We called to her as she waddled out of the room and down the hall to where Jasper taught his history classes.

The warning bell rang signaling that we had ten minutes till lunch was over. "So, about you telling our students how we started, what part did you get to today?" Edward asked as he rocked us side to side playfully.

"I was telling them about the night Jasper and I broke up and running into you in the shop." I said with a smile.

He laughed. "Hmmm…that was a pretty special day if I do say so myself. I came so close to kissing you that day it's not even funny. It was the beginning."

I nodded as I turned in his arms. "I agree, Mr. Masen, you blew me away that day and every day after that. I need to get back to my class." I told him as I reached up on my tip toes draping my arms over his shoulders and tugging his mouth to mine just as the final bell rang signaling that lunch was over.

"I love you, Mrs. Masen, from now…" He said as he pecked me on the lips one last time before releasing me.

I smiled as I backed away from him. "…until forever. I love you too, Mr. Masen." I called over my shoulder as I turned and walked out of the door heading back to my class.

Alice texted during out last period of the day saying that the first boy of the family had arrived with a great set of lungs. I quickly called Rose to see if they wanted to go with us to see the newest addition to which she quickly accepted. So that led us to Rose and Emmett's place to collect them before heading to the hospital. We followed the driveway around their house that led into the garage parking lot. After parking we walked up to see Rose's legs sticking out from under a car she must be working on. "You guys ready?" I asked loudly as I spotted Emmett on the phone in their 'office' area.

"Almost." Rose called from underneath the car. She had put her college education to use doing something she was passionate about and making a success out of it, working on restoring and fixing vehicles both old and new with the love of her life.

I laughed when she scooted herself out from under the car because she had grease on her hands and a few streaks on her face. She was the epitome of 'didn't fit the stereotype' because she was a blonde knockout with killer fashion style but could find her way around any engine blindfolded, one hand tied behind her back, and all four of her daughter's screaming at her. "I'm ready, I just had to finish changing that last spark plug."

I nodded as if I understood that. "Okay. She just had the little mister about an hour ago now according to our phones." Edward said as he stood by the now closed garage door.

"Great, let's get going then." Emmett said as he came from the office. "Rosie, you ready?" he asked as he tossed her a rag to wipe her hands off.

"Yep."

Making the trip to the hospital was less than a ten minute drive from Em and Rose's. We were all immediately enraptured by the chubby little body that was bundled in a blue blanket in his momma's arms. "He's so chunky." I told Alice as she handed me the bundled baby first.

"9 pounds 8 ounces." She said with an eye glare aimed at Jasper who just smiled and held his hands up in apology. Alice was the one Jasper had left me for and I was woman enough to admit that they were perfect for each other in every way. It hadn't taken me nearly as long as long as some people thought it should have to get over the betrayal but the man standing beside me was responsible for that. How could I be bitter and unforgiving when Jasper's betrayal led to finding the love of my life?

"He's beautiful, brother." Edward said as he reached out to stroke the baby's hair causing him to scrunch his nose in annoyance.

"Thanks. You will have a little one of your own soon enough to gloat over and you will see what it is all about." He said with a broad smile on his face.

We passed the baby around for the next hour before leaving the young family to themselves, dropping Rose and Em off at home, and heading home ourselves.

"You know, you've really started to show in the past few weeks." Edward commented from the bathroom counter as I stepped from the bath I had been soaking in to ease my back pain a little bit.

I nodded as I reached for the towel that I had sat beside the tub before climbing in. "Yeah, I like it though." I told him as I dried off my baby bump with a soft smile on my face. "I can't wait to find out what we are having." I told him as I wrapped the towel around my ever expanding mid-section.

He nodded. "I know, me either. I will be happy as long as they are healthy but there is something appealing about 'daddy's little girl' that makes me hope for a girl." He said as he suddenly hopped off the counter scooping me up in his arms causing me to drop my towel and squeal out in surprise.

"Edward!" I laughed as he carried me back through to our bedroom where he gently laid me on our bed.

"Isabella." He mocked as he crawled over me with a wicked look in his eyes causing my insides to clench in anticipation.

I smiled reaching up to sink my fingers into his hair tugging him down to meet my lips in a passionate mating. Needless to say both the baby and I slept very well that night after some thorough loving from the man in our lives.

The next day I stood in the doorway to my classroom as my Advanced English 12 students filtered in excitedly proudly showing off my baby bump now that they had all figured it out. After hugging the toilet for most of the morning I had simply grabbed my leggings and shirt that hugged my figure. On my feet were my favorite pair of slip on shoes because this day was going to be all about comfort. I groaned as the bell rang because I just knew they were going to ask me to continue with my story. I didn't mind telling anybody our story but I also had things that had to be done every single day to meet curriculum standards. "Okay class, I have a proposition for you guys that will hopefully satisfy your wants and my needs. Want to hear it?" I asked them as I shut the door behind me as I walked into the classroom.

"Of course!" they all called.

I chuckled leaning back against my desk. "Okay, you guys should have read the entire book by now and I know it is just a mere five days until winter break begins, three this week and two next week, so we don't want to start anything new material wise when we are about to be out for two weeks." I began which earned me some curious glances before I continued. "With that being said, here is my proposition. You guys write me a six page, double spaced, 12 point font essay over one of three essay questions, your choice, presented nicely and professionally the day before break." I told them as I got up to write the essay questions on the board. Once I had the essay topics wrote down I turned to face them. "And we do a small five question quiz every morning for the next five days and I will consider that your test. Do we have a deal?" I asked them with a smile.

Mary Beth held her hand up like I knew she would. "Yes, Mary Beth?" I asked with a smile

"Are you going to continue with yours and Mr. M's story if we agree to this?" she asked with a smile while the rest of the class listened attentively.

I laughed and nodded. "Indeed I will."

"Deal!" the entire class practically shouted at me.

I nodded and sat up on the edge of my desk. "Now with that out of the way, get your sheet of paper out for today's quiz." I told them as I pulled my quiz notes out of my folder that was on my desk. I had prepared these earlier because I had a feeling they would quickly agree to my deal.

After the quiz papers had been collected everybody looked at me expectantly. "Where did I leave off at?" I asked the even though I knew exactly where I had left off at.

"You had just run into Mr. M and gotten your tattoo!" Nichole reminded me excitedly.

I smiled as I nodded in remembrance. "Well a few weeks after that Rose and I headed back home for our Christmas vacation to get away from all the drama but little did we know…"

_**Well apparently nobody likes this story or just don't like taking a minute to post a review. Oh well, I am determined that I am going to finish this story for the few that have actually asked me to finish it. Here is the re-post of chapter 3. Nothing major will be changed, just a few date details and some major events have been taken out so that the 'then' chapters can go into them. Thanks for all of you who are taking the time to read my precious story.**_


	4. Going home for Christmas

**Chapter 4**

**December 2004**

**Going home for Christmas…**

The next three weeks were a blur of work, studying for finals, taking actual finals, dreaming of Edward's gentle touch and scorching eyes, and preparing for our trip back home.

"Charlie!" Rose said as my phone rang out the 'bad boys' theme song. I darted across the bed and snatched it off the night stand quickly answering it before he got irritated and hung up. He hated the advances of technology because it forced him to step out of his comfort zone of the 'olden days'. He had put off getting a cell phone until Rose and I left for college on the other side of the country. I think to this day he still had the same old flip phone he had originally gotten a year and a half ago.

"Hey dad, what's up?" I said as Rose rolled her eyes and continued going through my clothes that I had packed into my suitcase. She said that my style lacked…well, style so she was 'stylizing' my wardrobe. I was always happier in a pair of my old holey jeans and a baggy t-shirt with my chucks on my feet and my hair tossed up into a ponytail or trailing loosely down my back.

"Tell Rose I said hi before she has a conniption fit thinking I don't love her anymore." He said with a laugh. Charlie had been more of a father to Rose than her own had been once she hit ten years old. It really didn't help that she had a huge DILF crush on my dad that she voiced when we were sixteen.

I sighed and held the phone away from my ear and mouth. "Charlie said to tell you hi and that he loves you." I think the crush went both ways but I could never be brave enough to actually ask Charlie about it; that was weirdness overload.

"Love you too, Charlie!" She sing-songed with a huge grin on her face.

I groaned pulling the phone back to my ear. "What's up, dad?" I asked him as I laid across my bed watching Rose toss out half of what I had packed into my suitcase.

"I just wanted to make sure that you guys had everything in order for your trip home." He said like the concerned father that he was. "I dropped your truck off at the airport today. Just go to the valet station and they will bring it around to you."

"Okay, thanks Dad. Rose is going through my suitcase now tossing out half of my clothes that I had packed but other than that yes we have everything ready to go." I told him which caused Rose to stick her tongue out at me.

He just laughed because he knew Rose just as well as I did. "Figures. Is Jasper coming home with you guys or is he staying behind?" He asked. I still hadn't told him about the break up because I didn't want to go into the details of why with him until I was in person so I could hide his gun beforehand.

"No, dad, he's not coming. Or at least I don't think he is." I told him quietly. I couldn't lie very good to anybody and it was only worse with my dad. He could tell I was lying before the lie ever came out of my mouth or so he's always told me. I hoped against all odds that that wasn't the case this time around.

I could just picture him sitting up straight and his forehead scrunching up in confusion. "What's going on, Bella?" I could practically see the wheels turning in his brain through the phone. "I can tell it's something big."

I sighed because the time had come where I had to tell him the truth. "Jasper and I broke up a month ago." I admitted quietly.

"What happened? I thought you guys were going to make the long haul." He asked like the concerned father that he was. He was still relatively calm although I could hear the anger just below the surface of his words.

"He apparently fell in love with somebody else about four months ago and forgot to tell me." I mumbled.

"HE WHAT?"

Rose took the phone out of my hand. "He dipped his stick in someone else's honey pot, Charlie. The bastard is lucky we've been friends for most of our lives and that my girl doesn't seem too upset by it." She said in way of explanation.

I sat on the bed listening to the one sided conversation Rose was having with my father. "Yes, but our Bell's threatened to cut them off if he didn't leave her alone to process the situation."

"Because he hasn't bothered her in almost a month although she seemed more pissed off that she had to go get tested for STD's and stuff since he was unfaithful."

"Of course her tests came back clean. He's still alive ain't he?"

"Sorry Charlie, she's not been an angelic virgin for a few years yet. Sorry to spoil your dreams. Although I cou-"

I snatched the phone from her hands before she could finish her statement because God only knows what was going to come out of her mouth next. "Leave Jasper alone if you see him okay? He's happy and I'm happier alone than I was when I was with him, we've been fighting a lot since moving out here. Dad, I gotta go before Rose unpacks all of my comfort clothes."

"Okay, sweetheart, I won't seek him out to harm him but if he shows up on my doorsteps I make no promises. Okay?"

"Okay, dad." I conceded because that was probably the best I could expect from him right now.

"I love you girls. Have a safe flight home."

I smiled because that was just like him, to make sure we had everything we would need when we landed in a few days. "Thanks, dad. We love you too." I told him as we hung up the phone.

"Rosalie Hale, don't you have a boyfriend and two daughters that you can go pack for?" I asked her as I looked at the pile of t-shirts she had dumped out of my suitcase.

She smiled and shook her head. "Nope, their luggage has been packed since yesterday and is waiting by the front door." She said with a smile as she began folding some sweaters and long sleeved form fitting shirts into the suitcase where my baggy and comfortable t-shirts had been.

"Where am I going to wear all of that frilly girly stuff at? Better yet, how did it end up in my closet?" I asked her pointing to the stuff she was packing.

"It's not all frilly and girly, Bella, it's just not several sizes too big for you. I am hoping that we will find the time to go out while we are back home." She said nibbling on her lip nervously.

"Have you told your dad that he's a grandfather?" I asked curiously.

She shook her head before scowling at me. "Why would I? It's not like he cares anything about me. I haven't talked to him since he called to wish me a happy birthday a week late." That was eight months ago.

"At least he called." I said thinking that my mother hadn't called or written or anything since she walked out of my life twenty years ago.

"Sometimes I wish my dad would do like your mom did. Just disappear and not contact me. I think it would make things easier." She said with a sad shrug of her shoulders. "Being treated like that by my parents makes me want to be such a better mom for Lizzy and Abby. One that they can always depend on to be there for them no matter what happens in life." She said as a beautiful smile graced her face at the mention of her daughters.

I nodded. "You are an amazing mother to those girls Rose, never doubt that. Now, why do I need more form fitting clothing in Forks or even Port Angeles?" I asked curiously.

"It's time to get you back on the dating wagon or at least the laid wagon." She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

I groaned flopping back on the bed in exasperation. "You know it took me almost three years of dating to actually sleep with Jasper for the first time, right?"

"Oh, I know. But you guys were thirteen years old when you started dating. And besides, you've done it now so…it's like riding a bike. Except you will be riding a cock." she said trailing off with a shrug of her shoulders.

I rolled around on my bed laughing so hard that my stomach ached once I finally settled down. "You are incorrigible."

"I know." She said with a happy smile. "But you still love me."

"I do. You are my sister for life." I told her happily.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

I smiled as I watched Rose rock back and forth with Abby snoozing on her chest. She had fallen asleep about thirty minutes into the last leg of the flight after fighting it for what seemed like hours. Rose was softly singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' to her to keep her asleep despite all the jostling while Emmett was holding Lizzy who was dozing against his shoulder. I was on luggage duty for all of us so the girls could sleep as long as they wanted to help with their crankiness. I kept snatching bag after bag off the luggage carousel and just laying it on the floor so I didn't miss anything.

"Here is Abby's car seat." I told Rose as I sat the carrier on the floor so Rose could lay the toddler in it.

Rose gently bent down to lower her in the carrier all the while singing softly to her. Once she had Abby settled and fastened into her carrier comfortably she stood up and shook her arms. "Lord, she is a chunky monkey."

I laughed as I tugged yet another bag off the conveyer belt. "I bet. Hey, Em, here is Lizzy's." I told him as I propped hers against a suitcase so that it was reclined so she could lay down in it.

"Thanks, Bella. It is a godsend to not have to wake them up, you have no idea. They would be unbearably cranky on the drive to Forks." He said as he gently laid Lizzy down before tucking her little pink elephant into her arms and covering her with a blanket. "And I don't want them cranky when they meet your dad for the first time if I can help it. Us all showing up is going to be a big enough surprise."

"It's no problem and my dad is a big old softie when it comes to Rose so whether the girls are cranky or not isn't going to sway him. When he sees how happy you and the girls make her, he will be sold on the whole situation. Trust me." I told him as I grabbed the diaper bag off and tossed it atop the humongous pile of bags and various baby items. "Whoever knew going on vacation with two little ones would be similar to moving across the country." I said as I grabbed the two portable cribs that were folded up in their travel cases.

Emmett just laughed. "Oh I do. Try doing this by yourself. I did it with Lizzy when I started at Brown. We moved from Wisconsin to here with all of our stuff. We shipped most of the stuff but there were just some things that couldn't wait until the movers got here. It was horrible." He said as he snagged a luggage cart and started loading all the bags onto it. "Does this airport have a valet that will go get your vehicle?"

"Yep, Charlie said he had everything set up with them." I told him as I headed for the valet desk.

When I told them who I was they said that they had my keys and would immediately bring my truck around, per my father's orders. "Thank you!" I told them as I danced back to where Emmett and Rose were standing with the luggage and still snoozing girls.

"They're gonna bring the truck around." I told them with a happy smile.

Rose just laughed as she rocked Abby's carrier with her foot. "If they can get it cranked."

I nodded as I turned to watch for my truck out the windows. "Ms. Swan, your truck is here." An airport attendant said with a smile.

I looked all around outside. "I don't see it." I told him.

"Your dad said you would say that and he also said to tell you Merry Christmas." He said as he pointed to a blue Ford F-150 4x4 that looked to only be a few years old.

My jaw dropped and my eyes bugged out. "That's mine?" I asked pointing to the same truck.

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Go Charlie!" Rose said excitedly as she covered Abby's carrier up with a thick blanket to ward off the chill before picking it up.

I smiled and nodded as we all headed for the shiny blue truck that was vastly different from the one I had left here when going away to college.

A little over three hours later I was pulling into my dad's driveway with Emmett, Rose, and the girls.

"Bella! Rosie!" My dad hollered as he quickly walked towards the truck as I turned off the ignition. Rose, with Abby in her arms, bolted from the truck towards Charlie before I even had my seatbelt off. I just shook my head as I climbed from the truck quickly making my way to my dad and Rose who were hugging tightly in the middle of the yard.

"Hi dad!" I called as I slowly stepped through the slush that was snow and ice.

He released Rose but gave her a pointed look and pointed to Abby and Emmett who was climbing from the truck with Lizzy in his arms, she was still sluggish from just waking up. "You have some explaining to do, young lady." He said as he took me in his arms lifting me up off the ground. "Hi, Bells!"

I laughed while Rose smiled and nodded as Emmett made his way to her side. "I have missed both of my girls something awful. You cannot stay away so long anymore, I won't tolerate it." He said as he sat me back on my feet.

"I've missed you too, dad. I'm glad Rose talked me into coming home." I whispered in his ear as I hugged him tightly, I didn't want to let him go.

He finally released me after a few minutes. "Let's get these babies inside where it's warm and then you, Rosie doll, have some explaining why I have two beautiful granddaughters that I knew nothing about." He said with a smile.

Rose just laughed as we all followed Charlie inside my childhood home, hell it might as well have been Rose's childhood home too. She lived her more than she did in her own house. Rose's parents had bought the house right next door to mine when we were four years old. Once Rose hit ten years old, her parents were never around very much because her dad had landed a fantastic new job where he worked overseas most of the time as a forensic accountant. Her mom was just never around once her dad started rolling in that extra bit of cash because she was too busy living the high life. Unfortunately, her mom overdosed on pain pills when Rose and I were just 15 years old. Her dad had wanted to move Rose to China with him where he was spending most of his time but she had thrown a fit and said she couldn't leave Charlie and me so he had relented and just paid the bills at the house and flew home every few months to check on her. That eventually dwindled down to once every six months and then down to just phone calls to an occasional email by the time we left for college. Her father deeded the house to her as a graduation present that she turned around and sold, pocketing the money without a backwards glance.

One would think that with absentee parents Rose would have been the wild child but she had too much respect for Charlie, the father of her heart as she called him, to do anything that would disrespect him. We both stuck our noses in our school books to gain scholarships so we could attend our dream college together, our plan had worked and we had left town together just three weeks after graduation only to not return until now. 18 months.

"Charlie this is Emmett, Lizzy, and Abby. Em, this is Charlie, father extraordinaire to Bella and myself." Rose said with a smile as she laid Abby down on the couch to change her diaper. She wasn't steady on her feet yet so they were holding off on potty training until she was walking on her own.

Charlie just huffed as he eyeballed Emmett and Lizzy who was wiggling about. "Em, the bathroom is straight up the stairs." Rose told him as she quickly tugged Abby's fuzzy pants off.

"Mama…" Abby pouted as she stuck her bottom lip out in a pout.

Rose just smiled and leaned forward to blow raspberries on her tummy causing her to giggle and smile. "I'm almost done, Abs. Cool it, chick."

"Mama?" Charlie asked as he sat in his recliner that he has had for as long as I could remember.

Rose nodded. "Yep, I petitioned the courts to adopt her a few months ago." Rose explained with a smile. "The adoption was finalized last month. I am the only mother she knows and you taught me that you don't have to be blood related to be a parent. Emmett and I have been together for over a year now and he is my future, Charlie. As unexpected as him and these girls were I can't imagine my life without them in it."

"Adopted?" he asked curiously, hanging onto the fact that she had adopted the precious little girl and he had had no idea of any of it.

Rose nodded as she reached in the diaper bag that Emmett had brought in with him to dig out Abby's sippy cup. "Yep. It's not my story to share but she isn't Emmett's biological child either, he adopted her when she was just a few days old and I adopted her on her first birthday. I'm sorry that this is all coming as a shock to you and that I haven't let you know about any of this but I wouldn't change any of it for anything."

"That's amazing, Rose. That's really wonderful of him to take in this little one when he already had one at home and a new relationship going too. How old is he by the way?" Charlie asked her as she settled into the corner of the couch with Abby curled in her arms looking around the room with wide curious eyes. Obviously, the day of travelling had really taken its toll on the normally bright and cheerful girls.

I saw Emmett out the corner of my eye as he cautiously walked back into the living room with a scowling Lizzy trailing behind him. "What's wrong, Lizzy bug?" I asked her holding my arms out for her. She quickly scrambled into my lap curling into my chest.

"Hungy, B." She said quietly. "Daddy say no."

"I will be twenty one in March, Charlie." Emmett said as he sat down between Rose and I. "Lizzy, what did I just tell you?" Emmett asked his daughter quietly but firmly leaving no room for argument from any of us.

"Nuddin to eat till I stop poutin'." She answered him quietly.

"Okay then, don't go begging other people for food. Okay?" he told her quietly.

She nodded. "Okay. Sowwy, daddy. Wuv you." She said as she pulled her bottom lip back in her mouth scrambling out of my lap and into her fathers, effectively ending her pouting session. She was such a daddy's girl and he was a big old softie when it came to his girls. All three of them.

"I love you, too, Elizabeth Nichole. Five minutes, okay?" he asked her as he cradled her in his arms gently rocking her side to side.

"Okay." She agreed as she settled in his arms with a huge contented sigh.

Charlie watched the entire scene quietly. "Not that this scene isn't heart touching but my Rosie left this town single and free only to return eighteen months later with a boyfriend and two daughters. Can someone please explain all of this too me. Please."

"Being a father myself I'm sure you are more curious about how I am a father to an almost five year old and a one year before I'm even legal to drink alcohol instead of how Rose came to be in our lives. Am I right?" Emmett asked my dad who simply nodded and waited patiently for Emmett to continue. And he did.

"While Abby's story isn't pretty it is the easiest for me to explain so I will start there. My sister, Jane, was a crack whore who prostituted herself out for money. She ended up pregnant with Abby and called me in a panic when she went into labor. Abby was born below a healthy birth weight and addicted to heroin. She spent 18 days in the NICU suffering from withdrawals while trying to not loose anymore weight before coming home. Jane signed her rights away when she was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a variety of charges including child abuse. My adoption petition was expedited so I could take Abby home as soon as she was released from the hospital. It was Rose's choice to adopt her on her birthday and who was I to tell this amazing woman no. I figured that would be the best birthday present I could ever give my daughter. The gift of a mother and a mother's love which was already being given to her so selflessly." Emmett explained in a rush as he rubbed soothing circles on Lizzy's back.

Charlie ran his hand over his face as he processed all of the information that was just thrown at him but I knew it was far from over. Emmett's road to fatherhood had not been an easy one by any standards. It was a heart wrenching story that I had cried through the first time I heard it.

"That's really admirable, Emmett, and she is a beautiful little girl and obviously attached to my Rosie. I can't knock a man who will step up willing for an innocent baby. Plus, my Rosie is a headstrong one and when she sets her mind to something there is no changing it." Charlie said with a smile at the small little family.

I felt more than heard Emmett take a deep breath to prepare himself for the explanation of Lizzy being in his life. "Thanks Charlie and I realized right off that you are indeed right about this one but now for the tough part. Lizzy's story." He said as he placed a soothing kiss to the top of Lizzy's head while he took a few seconds to collect his thoughts and emotions. "Lizzy's mom and I had her when were just sixteen years old but she wasn't a surprise, Charlie, she was planned. She will be five years old at the beginning of June." Emmett told my dad honestly.

"Where is her mom now?" Charlie asked with quiet interest.

Lizzy looked at him and with a smile and said what she had always been told. "In da clowds." She said in a quiet voice that cause my dad to look confused and Rose to blink her eyes to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"She died giving birth to Lizzy, she never even got to hold her." Emmett told him quietly as he placed a loving kiss to the top of Lizzy's head. "She lives in the clouds so she can watch over our girl every day."

"I'm sorry Emmett." Charlie told him sincerely.

Emmett shrugged and continued on. "Don't be sorry just be understanding. Her mom's name is Elizabeth or Beth as she preferred, and she was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and had a heart transplant a few days after she was born. I met Beth when we were thirteen years old and we immediately started dating. We got a huge snow storm two years later when we were fifteen and she wanted to go outside and build a snowman. Who was I to deny her such a fun care free act? She ended up catching pneumonia because she was having so much fun playing in the snow and just being a teenager for once. The pneumonia put tremendous strain on her heart and she was told that her heart was failing despite all the meds she was on and the transplant she had had as a newborn. My world fell apart before my very eyes."

Charlie just shook his head but remained quiet allowing Emmett time to continue at his own pace. I placed a comforting hand on his bicep and he gave me an endearing smile in return before continuing with the story. "Beth got pissed off at the world, but rightfully so. She was told that she could be a normal kid with no worries as long as she took her medicine every day. She just wanted to play in the snow like a normal teenager and steel a few kisses while the snowflakes kissed our cheeks. She outright refused to even consider having another transplant only for it to fail in another ten or fifteen years when she decided to do something spontaneous like make a snow angel or something. She was so pissed off at her doctors that she stopped taking her meds that she had been taking since birth."

"Why would she refuse another heart when it could have given her another chance at life?" Charlie asked quietly.

"Because she didn't want to live her life afraid of every little thing, worrying if each act would be the one that would cause her heart to fail again. Plus she would be considered high risk on the transplant list. It all boiled down to the fact that she didn't want the hope only to have it dashed again. She told her parents and doctors that she had one wish and request for the days she had left on this earth. She only wanted to experience one thing before going to her place in the clouds." He said quietly as he swiped at the tears that had fallen onto his cheeks before hugging Lizzy a little closer to his chest.

"What was her wish? Lizzy?" Charlie asked as he leaned forward in his recliner and grabbed Rose's hand who had tears slipping down her cheeks.

Emmett nodded. "Yes sir, her wish was to be a mother. She wanted what every little girl dreams of, being a mother. She knew the risks, she would most likely be bound to the hospital during most of the pregnancy, she most likely wouldn't survive the delivery to actually hold the baby, and the one that almost deterred her was the risk of not carrying to full term. She simplified it all by saying that she wanted to give something great to this world before she left it and that would be a beautiful little baby that would carry on her legacy. That was her wish and who were any of us to deny her that when her days were limited. She was dying and we all knew it and had no choice but to accept it."

"Her parents were okay with this? With their 15 year old daughter trying to have a baby while fighting for her life?" Charlie asked curiously.

He nodded. "Yes sir because there was no fighting for her life and they knew that. The end was closer than any of us wanted to admit. There was nothing anybody could do about her failing heart when she refused to take her meds and a transplant. When her parents threatened to enforce their rights as her parents she declared she would get emancipated and die without them there so they let her live out her days however she wanted. She was a lot like Rosalie, stubborn and head strong and beautiful but dealt a shitty hand as a child."

I watched as Emmett paused sinking his nose into Lizzy's hair as she sat in his lap listening intently to the story, her hunger all but forgotten. She knew the story well and could tell it in her own way also but she like to listen to her daddy tell stories like most little girls do. After a few quite moments Emmett continued on in a soft heartbroken voice.

"We found out we were pregnant four months before her sixteenth birthday which coincidentally is five days before mine. Like the doctors had told her, she was bed ridden and in the hospital most of the pregnancy because of the strain it was putting on her heart. Her skin even turned blue after about sixteen or seventeen weeks because her heart wasn't pumping her blood like it should have been. I never left her side the entire time. I dropped out of school and she spent those months tutoring me and helping me get my GED from her hospital room. She was smart beyond belief but she never let it go to her head. She could look at something and immediately get it." He paused as he wiped a few tears from his cheeks and placed a kiss on the top of Lizzy's head again, taking strength from the amazing gift Beth had given her life for.

"That's got to be tough as a parent, to watch your daughter go through that even though it was her dying wish. Are they still a part of Lizzy's life today?" Charlie commented quietly.

Emmett sadly shook his head again. "Her parents cried and prayed every single day for one of them to be okay. I actually got my diploma in the mail the day we found out Lizzy was going to be a Lizzy, my parents brought it to me at the hospital. This was the first time they had saw Beth swollen with our daughter because when we had told them of the plan they had disowned me completely. I haven't seen them since that day. I was just sixteen years old and way out of my league with everything happening around me but I had to be strong for Beth and my baby." He said with a slight smile on his face. "Beth's parents told me that I could live with them if I allowed them to raise Lizzy how they wanted to raise her. I couldn't agree to that because I knew in my heart that Beth wouldn't want that, though she never knew of that particular conversation. I got a job while Beth was still in the hospital and saved every single penny until I was able to get a small one bedroom apartment and stuff for Lizzy."

"That's really admirable, Emmett, Beth was lucky to have you in her life. No matter how short her time on earth was." Charlie told him with a sincere smile. "I can see now what my girl sees in you."

He smiled and nodded. "I always considered myself the lucky one for getting to spend an amazing three and a half years with her. Her heart finally gave out when she was a little over eight months pregnant with Lizzy. I remember being jerked out of a deep sleep one night by the heart monitors beeping crazily, both hers and Lizzy's. They had to quickly cut my baby girl from her momma's stomach while I stood off to the side in utter shock and disbelief. They never did get Beth's heart beating again. She never got to meet our beautiful and amazing daughter but I knew that her final wish was fulfilled by the smile that graced her face even in death." He said as he swiped at the tears again as Lizzy wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "But I know she watches over us every step of the way." He said as he tickled Lizzy's ribs gently causing her to squirm and giggle, effectively ending the somber mood that had taken over the room. "Isn't that right, Lizzy?"

Lizzy leaned back and smiled. "Yep, Mama Beth in da clouds." She said pointing up with a smile on her face. "But Mama Rose here wit me an sissy." She said as she leaned over kissing Rose on the cheek.

"She's a lucky little girl. Does she have any medical problems like Beth did?"

He shook his head. "Nope, she's healthy as a horse. Thank God. Beth's heart defect wasn't genetic." He said with a chuckle.

"That's great, Emmett. Hmm… little one do you like grapes?" My dad asked as he stood up from his recliner looking at Lizzy. "Little one's must be fed after all so they can become bigger little one's." He said in a teasing tone causing Lizzy to laugh lightly.

Lizzy perked up immediately at the sound of grapes. Her favorite snack. "Gween or …. Or…." She trailed off because she couldn't say purple just yet.

"Purple?" Emmett offered.

"Yes dat color." Lizzy said quietly as she eyed my dad with big excited eyes.

"Why don't you come with Papa Charlie and we will go see?" He asked holding his hand out for her.

I looked at Rose and mouthed 'Papa Charlie' at her only to get a grin and a shrug in response but I couldn't be happier that my dad was accepting of the whole situation.

She eyed his hand suspiciously before looking at Rose and Emmett for permission. "Go ahead, this is Mama Rose and B's daddy." Emmett explained to her quietly.

That was all it took for my dad to win over Lizzy and Abby wasn't far behind. "Like you my and Abby's daddy?" She asked curiously as she slid off of his lap.

Emmett nodded and the little girl took off for my father's outstretched hand.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Why don't you guys go out and have fun tonight?" Charlie asked Rose and me as we stood cooking breakfast the next morning.

"We have the girls, Charlie, remember? Kind of hard to go out with them." Rose said as she flipped the pancakes with wink in my direction as I flipped the bacon.

Charlie huffed. "I can watch them for you guys, I don't mind. Plus, I happen to be excellent with little girls." He said causing me to drop the fork I was using to flip the bacon.

"You are offering to babysit so we can go out and have fun?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow because this scenario had never happened before. "Who are you and what have you done with my father?"

He sighed and nodded. "I'm still your father but you two work so hard between working, keeping up with your studies, and being wonderful kind hearted women. You guys deserve to go out and have some fun. I hear there's a new club in Port Angeles that is the new hot spot for the area." He said as he shook the newspaper out so he could read the sports section.

"Just how do you know about a new 'hot spot' club?" I asked him as I pushed down the top of his newspaper.

He groaned and laid the paper down. "I pulled over a group of teenagers the other day and they rambled on and on about this club. I think it's called Twilight or something like that. It's supposed to be an all age's club." He said before picking his paper up again.

I looked to Rose and shrugged my shoulders because I honestly didn't care whether we went or not. The clubbing scene wasn't particularly my cup of tea but I could enjoy myself with Rose. Plus we still had our fake ID's we've had since high school so it could potentially be fun. She shrugged her shoulders in return with a smile just as we heard light pounding coming down the stairs indicating that Lizzy was up. "Papa Charlie?" She called quietly.

I laughed when my dad quickly folded his newspaper. "In here Lizzy." He called to her as he pushed away from the table a little bit. I got wide eyed when Lizzy charged into the room and launched herself at my dad with a huge smile. "Did you sleep good, Lizzy Bug?" I heard my dad ask her as he settled her on his knee while Rose fixed her a cup of milk.

"Yeah. I wooked for you dis mownin and no find you." She said as she looked up at him with wide curious eyes.

Charlie just chuckled. "I'm sorry, sweet girl, I get up with the sun which is way too early for such a beautiful little girl like you. You were sleeping so soundly that I just came down here to read my newspaper." He told her as I slid a plate of cut up pancakes and bacon in front of her and another in front of him. She had begged and begged for her bed to be put in 'Papa Charlie's' room last night and none of us had the heart to deny the child who had wrapped my normally stoic father around her tiny fingers in just a few hours.

"Du wike du kk's cut up too?" She asked as she speared a piece, swiped it through the whip cream dollop on her plate before shoving it into her mouth. Rose and Emmett didn't give her syrup because it was too sweet and sticky.

I smiled when I heard my dad whisper to Lizzy. "I do, I thought I was the only one." He looked over Lizzy's head and winked at me as they settled into their breakfast. I had been cutting his pancakes up since I was about fourteen or so when he ruined two uniforms in the same morning by dripping syrup onto it by trying to force too big of a bite into his mouth.

"Morning!" Emmett said as he walked in with a sleepy eyed pajama clad Abby in his arms. Rose smiled and leaned over towards him as he bent down to give her a kiss.

"Mama…"Abby whined reaching for Rose.

Rose chuckled as she took Abby, propping her on her hip while she finished flipping the last of the pancakes. "You hungry, Abs?" She asked the little girl with a kiss to the top of her unruly curls that was resting on her shoulder.

Abby nodded but remained silent, she didn't talk much as she was just learning how to. She definitely knew mama and dada though, there was no doubt about that. It was a great morning and Emmett was all over the idea of getting away for the night once Charlie told him about the idea. It was decided that we would just stay the night in Port Angeles for the night since it would probably be really late when we started back anyways.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Rose!" I hissed as I eyed the drink she had just sat on the table in front of me. "Another one?"

She just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "This one is different and we are staying in down tonight, so drink up sissy!" she said with a tipsy giggle.

I shook my head and took a cautious sip of the new drink she had given me. It was delicious as were the other ones that she and Emmett had been ordering for me since I didn't know the first thing about ordering a drink from a bar. Our Fake ID's hadn't even been second glanced at and had come in handy helping to loosen all of us up. We had never used them back then for fear of getting caught by Charlie but we were a little more brazen now and had used them to get into the club. Charlie had thought it was an all ages club and it was but we had the stamps on our hands that said we were 21 &amp; Over! "This is good, sissy." I said as I took a bigger sip of the watermelon flavored drink.

"I know! I'm going to find Em so we can dance!" She said as she staggered away. We had been here almost two hours and we had all been drinking pretty steadily so none of us could claim to be in a good standing when it came to our sobriety. Thank God we were staying in town tonight and not driving home inebriated. I would hate to explain that one to my father.

I leaned my elbows on the table as I looked around at all the writhing bodies crowded together on the dance floor grinding and gripping with each other. Watching some of the dance moves made me grateful that I didn't have a 'date'. "Wanna give it a shot?" asked a sexy voice from behind me that caused tingles to race up my spine, something I hadn't felt in a long time.

I shook my head. "Not really. I have two left feet." I said without looking back at whoever was talking to me. It was true that I had been born with apparently two left feet that led to a surprising amount of clumsiness and trips to the ER. After being rushed to the ER for a broken ankle, I had been running late and tripped going down the two steps on our front porch, it was suggested that taking yoga classes might help with my coordination and balance. With Rose's enthusiasm and Charlie's optimism I had given it a shot and actually turned out to be really good at it. Rose had done the daily hour with me for a little over a year before giving it up but the change it had made in my life had made me stick with it and I had finally mastered the advanced positions a little over a year ago.

"I know better than that, Isabella. I've seen you dancing around the café when you think nobody's looking." The same sexy voice as before that was infinitely closer than before whispered the words almost directly into my ear. Upon hearing my name I whirled around in shock and came face to face with one of the few people that I had no desire to see.

"What are you doing watching me while I'm working, Edward?" I asked him as I turned on my chair until I could face him.

He just smirked and leaned in close again so we could hear each other when we spoke without having to holler. "It's a favorite past time of mine while I waited on my dimwitted asshole of a brother. You have some great moves for someone who supposedly has two left feet."

I just smirked at him. "What are you doing here, Edward?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he placed his lips practically against my ear before answering me. "Tempting fate and testing my restraint."

I just laughed rolling my eyes at him. "It would do us all a favor if you wouldn't have such restraint."

He got a smoldering look in his eyes and leaned closer until I could feel his breath faintly against my lips. My body was on fire like it had never been before. There was something about him that just made me want to lose MY restraint and see what his lips felt like. "You really want me to let go of my restraint?" He whispered softly as our breaths mingled in the scant quarter inch of space between his face and mine.

My eyes widened at the look in his eyes and the tingling I felt over my whole body at that look and his close proximity. I nodded and smiled wickedly. "You need to let loose. You're always so uptight and just restr—" My words were cut off when his lips met mine.

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_**Wow this chapter was a doozy! Over 7,400 words in this chapter alone. Really hope you guys enjoyed getting to meet Charlie as much as I loved reading each and every review I received. Let's see if we can keep up the good work with the reviews. Let me know your thoughts now that you've read the chapter.**_


	5. Now 3

**No reviews for the massive last chapter but I did get a lot of favorites and followers so I am assuming that means that you guys are liking it. Since it is a holiday week (at least for myself) I decided to go ahead and post another chapter since I posted the other one a bit early for a christmas surprise.**

**Hope you enjoy, and it would be a real treat and pleasure to have some reviews so I don't have to guess what you guys think of the chapters. **

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**Chapter 5**

**Now**

"You can't just leave it there, Mrs. Masen!" Mary Beth exclaimed in indignation.

I just laughed. "I can because the bell is about to ring in the next five minutes and I will use that time to answer any questions about the paper or quizzes that you guys agreed to." I told her and the entire class with a smile.

"That's just not right, the story was just getting good." She said with a pout.

I shook my head. "We will pick it up again tomorrow, I promise. So…any questions?" I asked them as I hopped down off the desk to walk around the room. I felt a bout of nausea coming on and sometimes moving around helped ward it off. I took deep breaths as I walked around the room slowly and answered the few questions that each of the students could think of until the bell rang signaling the end of class.

As soon as the class was empty I ran across the hall to the faculty bathroom and puked up what little I had eaten for breakfast. "Oh, baby, why do you do this to me?" I asked my stomach as I wiped my face with a damp cloth.

I honestly didn't expect an answer so I just sighed as I walked back across the hall to greet my English 11 class. I couldn't meet Edward for lunch that day because I had a parent teacher meeting with one of my senior's parents; they had questions and concerns about a letter of recommendation I had written for their daughter.

I was exhausted by the end of the school day and wanted nothing more than to go home so I could curl up on the couch while Edward cooked us dinner. "Ready to go home?" Edward asked as he rapped on my doorframe with his cocky self-assured smile in place and his tie loosened around his neck.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm beyond exhausted." I told him as I fought off a yawn.

He walked over, grabbed my bags and wrapped his arm around my shoulders tucking me into his side. "Where did you get to today?" He asked as we walked to the faculty parking lot.

I chuckled. "The kiss." I told him simply because he would know what I was talking about.

"Hmm…that was a really amazing kiss that led to a great night and an even greater life. Are you going to tell them everything that happened that night?" He teased as he opened the door for me.

I shook my head. "No, I will keep it all pg-13 for them, no need to broadcast every little detail of our lives. Plus I have to fit over five years into five class periods." I told him as I slid into the seat of his Volvo that he had gotten when he graduated high school almost ten years ago.

"Yeah, good luck with that. I have already heard some rumors about how they are going to try to get you to prolong it." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

I just groaned as I fastened my seatbelt around me. "I can only imagine the tactics they are coming up with. Teenagers are relentless."

He just laughed as he shut my door before jogging around the hood of the car. That evening went just as I planned; me on the couch in my pajamas while Edward cooked and served dinner and then cleaned my kitchen back up.

"Edward." I whispered as I shook his shoulder gently. I needed him up….and now. "Babe." I whispered as I urgently shook his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he asked as he rolled over to face me blinking his eyes open. The moment he saw the tears in my eyes he jerked upright in the bed. "What's wrong, Bella? Is it the baby?" He asked urgently as he reached over and quickly turned his lamp on.

I just sobbed as I held my stomach. I had been having cramps and pains in my lower stomach for about the last hour, they had been so bad that they woke me up out of a dead sleep. "I don't know, it just hurts." I sobbed out as I doubled over on the bed.

"Okay." He said as he hopped off the bed, dragging on his t-shirt that was lying across the chair that sat beside the bed. "We're going to the hospital." He told me as he walked quickly around the bed and scooped me up in his arms. I had been cold when we went to bed so I was dressed in my fuzzy pajama pants and a long sleeved t-shirt so he just carried me straight to the car sitting me in the passenger seat strapping my belt around me. "It's gonna be okay, baby. We will be there in just a few minutes." He said as he shut my door and quickly ran around the hood of the car.

Within fifteen minutes Edward was carrying me into the emergency room as I cried gently into his chest. "I'm so scared, Edward." I whimpered softly.

"My wife is pregnant and having severe cramps." Edward rattled off to the first nurse he found.

Another fifteen minutes later, I was lying on a hospital bed as the doctor walked in carrying a clipboard while a nurse followed behind him. "Mrs. Masen, was there any spotting before you came to the hospital?" He asked getting straight to the point as he handed me a small cup with two little white tablets in it. I assumed it was Tylenol or asprin but I wasn't asking before tossing them back dry.

I shook my head. "No, just the cramps and sharp pains." I explained to him nervously.

"Well it's good news that there was no spotting. I would like to perform a pelvic exam to check your cervix, is that okay?" He asked as he looked me in the eye.

I nodded and took a deep breath. "Do you think something could be wrong with the baby?" I asked quietly as another sharp pain shot up my side causing me to close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"I honestly don't know, yet. This is the first thing to check. After a pelvic exam we will do an ultrasound and check on the baby." He said as he nodded to the nurse who started pulling the necessary items from the drawers to get prepared for the exam while Edward helped me pull my bottoms and panties off.

"Okay, everything looks great with your cervix. Now, let's take a look at that baby, why don't we?" he asked as he tossed his gloves into the trash can.

Edward and I both nodded. I breathed a sigh of relief at everything looking good from that end but wouldn't feel completely at ease until I saw that the baby was okay and had a reason for the cramping.

"You can put your pants back on; just leave them low on your hips. We will give you a few minutes while we go get the ultrasound machine, okay?" He said as he opened the door.

Edward stood up. "Okay, thanks doc." Edward told him as he cleaned me up from the gel of the pelvic exam. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he helped me get my panties and pajama bottoms back on.

"A little relieved but the pains are still there although I think the meds have dulled them a bit. I wonder if they could be those Braxton Hicks contractions Alice was telling me about." I asked him as I ran my hands over my small extended stomach, rubbing gently. "I just hope everything is okay with the peanut." I told him as tears trickled down my cheeks.

"I know, baby, I know." Edward said as he placed gentle kisses on my lips, then my eyelids, then across my forehead and finally on the tip of my nose. "I love you." He said as he leaned down and gently kissed the top of my rounded stomach. "Both of you."

A knock on the door made my stomach lurch into my throat. "Oh God, what if..." I sobbed as I gripped Edward's t-shirt tightly.

"It's gonna be okay, baby. Everything is going to be fine with our baby, God wouldn't be so cruel." He whispered into my hair before rising up and calling out "Come in." to the doctor.

"Let's take a look at that baby of yours huh?" The doctor asked as he pushed in a cart with a huge monitor sitting on top.

Edward and I both nodded. "Please." I said softly.

The nurse squirted some gel onto my stomach with a soft smile. "I know it's a little cold. I'm sorry."

I tried to smile reassuringly at her as the doctor got the machine ready but the temperature of the gel was the least of my worries right now. "Okay, let's take a look at that baby. When are you guys supposed to find out the sex of the baby?" He asked as he moved the wand around on my stomach.

"Monday." Edward told him as our eyes stayed glued to the machine.

He nodded. "Would you like to know now, if we can find it?" He asked with a smile.

I looked at Edward with wide eyes before nodding and smiling. "Absolutely." Edward answered for the both of us.

The doctor chuckled. "Okay, here is the heartbeat." He said as he pushed a button and the tiny room was filled with a 'thump thump' that was our baby's steady heartbeat but something sounded different than it had the other day. Almost as if it there was an echo to each beat of the baby's heart.

I immediately got concerned when the doctor's brow furrowed in confusion. "Is something wrong?" Edward asked as he shifted from foot to foot in nervousness.

The doctor sighed. "I don't believe so just give me a second..." He said as he moved the wand around more before his face broke into a relaxing smile. "Well this explains what I heard and most likely your pains." He said as he pushed a few buttons on the machine zooming in on the image on the monitor.

"How?" I asked as I watched the computer monitor closely.

"Two babies. How do you feel about twins?" He asked as he pointed to a few things on the screen. "It appears that your babies share a single placenta and chorion but seem to have separate amnion." He said pointing to two visibly clear areas on the screen, each containing a baby like form.

"What does all of that mean?" I asked slightly confused by all the medical jargon.

The doctor chuckled. "Sorry. It means that your twins share the placenta and outer bag but each have their own inner sack. Does that make more sense? Let's find out if you are having boys or girls."

Edward and I both just nodded dumbly while the doctor moved the want around some more spreading the goo all over my rounded stomach. "It appears that baby A is a boy who has no shame." He said as he pointed out what was clearly a penis on the screen before tapping some buttons to print pictures of everything. " Let's see if his brother has the same lack of shame. It appears he doesn't." He said with a chuckle as he clicked, enlarged, and tapped on keyboard some more. "You can see his male parts here although he's got his legs closed." The doc pointed out as the machine whirred as it printed out our pictures.

"Twins?" Edward asked as he slumped down on the edge of my hospital bed in shock.

"Two boys?" I asked still stunned as the doctor finished his ultrasound before wiping my stomach off and turning the machine off.

The doctor laughed as he nodded. "Yes, identical twins. Two healthy boys from the looks of it. Congratulations." He said as he finished cleaning my stomach up before handing us the small stack of pictures of our sons.

"Wow." Bella and I both mused in astonishment. "How does this explain the cramping she's been experiencing?" Edward asked as he gently wiped my stomach off with a damp towel.

"The pains and cramping are most likely just your muscles stretching to make room for the growing babies. Has your stomach really started expanding in the past few weeks?" He asked as he stood leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his chest and his ankles crossed.

I tugged my shirt down and nodded as I rubbed my hands over my still tight and tender stomach. "It seems to have exploded in the past few weeks." I told him as I sat up, with Edward's help, rubbing my hands across my tight stomach. I was still in shock that we were going to be having not only one baby but two. Two boys.

The doctor nodded. "That explains it. I recommend you still keep your appointment with your OB for next week to make sure nothing changes in the next few days. Take it easy for a few days, drink lots of water, no long walks, no extraneous activities." He said looking pointedly at Edward who groaned but nodded. "I will fax over everything from tonight first thing in the morning along with a phone call to explain everything to your primary OB. Sound good?" He asked with a smile.

"So everything is fine with the babies?" Edward asked him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"I can find nothing that states otherwise. The uterus isn't contracting, the cervix isn't dilated, and babies are showing no signs of distress and neither is their mother aside from the muscle cramps." He said as he extended his hand towards Edward and myself. "Congratulations, again." He said as he shook our hands before leaving the room.

The nurses discharged us and we were on our way back home just two hours after we had arrived. That was the good thing about living in such a small town, things were never that busy; while we worked in Suffolk we lived about twenty minutes away in Windsor. "Can you believe we are having twins? Two boys." I asked Edward as he drove us back home.

He shook his head. "No it still hasn't sunk in, I don't think."

I chuckled. "We're getting two for the efforts of one." I mused quietly.

He groaned. "Apparently all that practice paid off. Two times over. How are we going to tell everybody?" I asked him as he drove through the deserted streets of our sleepy town.

"We could do the painted hand prints on my stomach in masculine colored paint or do reveal pictures where we will each open a box to reveal boy colored balloons." I suggested.

He nodded. "We could always just snap a picture of two pairs of booties and say we're gonna need double everything 'cause we're expecting double the trouble."

I shrugged my shoulders as he pulled in the driveway just as I let out a huge yawn. "We can talk about it later, I just want to go to bed and get some sleep before we have to get up for school." I told him as he pulled into the garage we had added to my old family home a few years ago.

"You're still going to school in the morning?" He asked as he helped me into the house and up the stairs to our bedroom. "The doctor said to take it easy, Bella."

I nodded as I crawled into the bed. "Yeah, but school doesn't involve a lot of strenuous activity since we are preparing for semester tests in every class." I told him as he crawled in behind me. I can sit in my chair with my feet propped up all day."

"Okay, I know better than to argue with you no matter how much I don't like it." He said as he tugged me into his arms and kissed me lightly.

"Thanks, babe, love you." I told him as I slipped into my slumber.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"God, Edward, today is going to be so long." I complained as we walked hand in hand into the school the next morning.

He just chuckled and pulled me close. "You should have stayed at home." He whispered in my ear.

I groaned as I leaned into his side. "I am not deserting my students' right before their semester tests; that is just asking for a disaster." I told him as we slowed to a stop in front of my classroom.

"Just take it easy today, okay? You can come to the band room during your lunch break and our free period to take a nap on the couch in my office, okay?" He told me as he kissed me the forehead.

Nodding I leaned into his warm lips. "It's a date for the nap because your babies are sucking what little energy I have." I told him as our hands joined together on my baby bump that seemed to be growing bigger every hour.

"It's because they are growing into smart little beings like their momma and need their energy."

I groaned because I didn't consider them anything but energy suckers at the moment because they were sucking me dry at the moment. "I know the babies need the energy but they need to leave some for their momma." I told him softly as students started filtering in the halls, going to and fro their lockers.

"I love you, I love all of you." He said as he kissed me on the lips gently. "Have a great day, Isabella."

I smiled and nodded. "We love you, too, daddy. Have a good day, babe."

The first two classes dragged by as I prepared them for their semester test that was coming next week. I sat atop my desk as my Advanced English 12 class walked in the door. I had been sitting in the chair so long my back was aching. "Morning, Mrs. Masen!" Mary Beth chirped as she waltzed to her desk. She was always the first into the classroom, had been since the very first day.

I laughed. "Good morning, Mary Beth. Having a good day so far?"

She nodded. "I am. My brother is flying in this weekend. We got the confirmation call this morning before I left for school." She said excitedly.

"He's been stationed in Iraq, hasn't he?" I asked her quietly.

She smiled and nodded. "Yes ma'am, this is his second tour over there but he is coming home for good this time. His tour is over." She said bouncing in her seat excitedly.

"That's great, Mary Beth. I bet you are all excited to have him home knowing he isn't going back." I told her as the other students trickled into the classroom.

"We are." She said with a smile as the final bell rang and I hopped off the desk to go close the door.

"Good morning, class!" I told them as I headed for the chalk board. "Get out a piece of paper so we can get the quiz over with." I told them as I began writing the six questions on the board. It took the class about ten minutes to have the quiz done and all their papers turned in.

I chuckled as they all looked at me, eager for the next installment of the story. "You guys are worse than kindergartners practically salivating at the anticipation of story time." I told them as I hopped back up on the edge of my desk to settle in for another installment of mine and Edward's history.

They nodded shamelessly causing me to laugh. "After Edward walked up and kissed me in the middle of the club…."


	6. Aftermath of the kiss

Here is another whopper of a chapter...over 7k words! There is a lot explained in this chapter but it also causes a lot more questions.

Thank you to the few that did review, you guys brought a smile to my face as soon as my phone dinged with the alert!

Enjoy the chapter...

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Aftermath of kiss…**

_He shrugged his shoulders as he placed his lips practically on top of my ear before answering me. "Tempting fate and testing my restraint." _

_I just laughed and rolled my eyes. "It would do us all a favor if you wouldn't have such restraint." _

_He got a smoldering look in his eyes and leaned closer until I could feel his breath faintly against my lips. My body was on fire like it had never been before. There was something about him that just made me want to lose my restraint. "You really want me to lose my restraint?" He whispered softly as our breaths mingled in the scant quarter inch of space between his lips and mine._

_My eyes widened at the look in his eyes and the tingling I felt over my whole body at that look and his close proximity. I nodded and smiled wickedly. "You need to let loose. You're always so uptight and just restr—" My words were cut off when his lips met mine._

"My restraint has been your saving grace for as long as I've known you." He whispered when he broke the kiss. He cupped my face just as gently as he had when we were standing in Kate and Garrett's tattoo parlor. I looked deep into his eyes as I tried to process what he had just told me and what I saw in his eyes.

Every scenario that I came up with didn't really make sense because we had always had a love-hate type of relationship once I started dating Jasper. I wanted some clarification on the situation. "What does that mean, Edward? You hated me just a few weeks ago." I whispered to him quietly as I stroked the sleeves of his shirt he had on. His thumbs stroked the skin of my cheeks right in front of my ears so tenderly I could barely feel the movements.

"I've been insanely attracted to you since you we met but you were either too young or dating Jasper. I moved clear across the damn country to get away from you because you were with my little brother and you guys seemed happy. Then what the hell did you do? You followed me. Not just the same state but the same damn campus." He said as he looked between my eyes and my lips rapidly before sealing his lips to mine in another kiss. This kiss was different though. This one wasn't to get me to shut up, it was to express his desires and passions. Our lips parted and our tongues touched tentatively. I found myself giving into the desires that were swirling deep within my stomach as he pulled me from my seat pressing my chest flush against his very firm chest.

He trailed his lips from mine to give us a minute to catch our breaths but never removed his lips from my body. "Edward, we were just little kids when we met."

"Uh huh. I know." He mumbled as he placed kisses down my neck, to my collarbone, shoulder, and back up before suckling on my 'spot' behind my ear that even Jasper had never found. I had tried to tell Jasper about it but he would just get huffy and pouty asking me if I didn't like how he was kissing me which made me feel bad and just shut up.

I felt my knees weakening so I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for dear life. I didn't know what else to do because he was causing things to happen to my body that made my mind scatter. "Oh God, Edward." I moaned out as I leaned my head to the side giving him easier access. "What are you doing to me?"

I heard him chuckle softly beside my ear before placing a gentle kiss there and raising his head up to look me in the eyes. "What I've dreamed about doing since I was fifteen years old. Wanna get out of here with me?" He asked gruffly as he gazed into my eyes with his own lust riddled eyes. I couldn't think of anything I wanted more besides sating the fires that were raging in my body. I was trembling just from a few kisses in a crowded night club, I couldn't wait to see what he could do with more room and privacy.

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah." I had never done anything like this in my entire life but if I regretted it tomorrow then I would deal with that tomorrow because for tonight I was giving into my body's desires. I couldn't remember my body being this wound up after just a few kisses in all of the six years I had dated Jasper.

"What about Rose and Emmett?" I asked him as we briskly walked through the maze of writhing bodies, our hands clasped between us. "I came with them."

He never stopped on his determined trek to the nearest exit. "You can text them from the car." He said as we spotted the exit and quickly hurried towards it.

Once the door slammed shut behind us Edward spun me towards him as he backed us up against the side of the building all while his lips descended on mine. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, sinking my fingers in his hair holding on tight as he devoured my lips with his.

I gasped as he pressed his erection into my lower stomach. It was bigger than I had ever felt before but that didn't stop the wanton sounds from coming my mouth. That pit of desire that had been swirling in my stomach before was now a full blown inferno that I felt through my entire body.

Wiggling around I tried to get some relief in the spot I needed it most but it was futile because he was just too damn tall. Tearing our lips apart I gasped as he reached down grabbing me by my thighs and lifting me up so that we were aligned perfectly from hips to lips. Quickly wrapping my legs around his waist locking my ankles behind his back he pressed me back against the brick wall grinding his erection into me. "Yes, right there." I breathed out when he bucked his hips and hit me in the perfect spot. I swirled my hips around to add a little more friction which caused him to groan in return

"Are you turned on, Isabella?" he whispered huskily in my ear before nipping it lightly as he flexed his hands that had slid up to my butt.

I groaned and nodded as I buried my face in his shoulder, nipping him lightly. "Yes, are you?" I teased back as I rotated my hips against his massive erection causing him to hiss loudly.

"So much so that if we don't stop soon, I'm going to embarrass myself like I haven't done since I was a freshman in high school." He ground out as he bucked into me causing the thick seam of my jeans to apply pressure in just the right spot. The sensations caused me to gasp before sinking my teeth into the skin of his neck where I had been placing kisses.

"Isabella Marie, don't you dare mark me." He ground out as he pounded quickly into my center causing me to release my hold and cry out from the ecstasy he was causing.

"Why not?" I teased him as I nipped lightly at the same spot on his neck. "Afraid your girlfriend will find out what you was up to while in PA?" I asked before nipping his earlobe.

"No girlfriend, dinner with Mom and her new boyfriend tomorrow night." He said as he pulled back to look me in the eyes. "You still want to get out of here? I have a room at the Olympic Lodge for the night."

I giggled because that is where Rose, Em, and I were staying also. It was the cleanest cheap place around. "I was sharing a room with Rose and Em there. Bunking with you sounds so much more fun than listening to them go at it all night because they are too drunk to remember I'm in the other bed." I told him as he lowered my feet to the ground leaning down planting his lips firmly against mine for a gentle and sweet kiss unlike anything we had shared so far.

"I can promise lots of fun activities and noises of our own as we 'go at it'." He whispered against my lips as he smoothly took my bottom lip between his teeth nibbling lightly.

I pushed on his chest because I knew if we got started again we would never make it to the lodge instead probably getting arrested for public indecency. Which I did NOT want to have to explain to Charlie. "Let's go, Edward." I told him with my own smirk in place.

He grabbed my hand quickly leading me to his car, obviously a rental since he had driven his car to Rhode Island when he first moved out there for college; I had seen him at Jasper's with it several times. Texting Rose and Emmett never once entered my brain once we got in the car because Edward and I couldn't seem to keep our hands still even on the short drive.

Within minutes we were racing up to his room at the Lodge. "Are you sure about this?" Edward asked as he tugged the keycard from his wallet. We were both a bit breathless but there wasn't even an inkling of doubt in my head at the moment, I just hoped come tomorrow I felt the same way instead of wanting to blame it on the alcohol.

I nodded. "Yep, no regrets tonight." I told him as I gripped his belt buckle and tugged him closer to me. "We're grown, single, and horny so what's to regret?" I asked him as I reached up and nipped his earlobe gently.

As soon as the little light turned green he ushered is into the room and straight to the bed, lowering us both down on top of it. "Not a damn thing." He said as he lowered his lips to mine. "No regrets, Isabella." He whispered against my lips as his knees spread my legs apart so he could settle into the cradle of my hips. "I'm not sure my heart will survive if you regret this come tomorrow."

"No regrets." I whispered against his lips as I wrapped my arms and legs around his body rolling him onto his back settling on top of him, grinding my center against his very hard and very prominent erection. "We have way too many clothes on, Edward." I told him as I dragged his shirt up revealing his impressive chest. And the edges of what looked to be a huge back piece that I had only gotten glimpses of a few weeks ago.

He chuckled as he reached behind my neck to undo the tie that held my shirt up. I had been wearing a satin patterned top that tied behind my neck with two tiny strings and nothing else. I had paired it with some of the tightest jeans Rose could find, and they were making it easy to feel his excitement at the moment but I wanted them off. "We can take care of that, baby." He said as he rose up reaching behind his neck yanking his shirt off in one fell swoop while mine pooled between us.

Once his shirt was off, I trailed my fingers down his defined chest running my fingers over the edges of the tattoo on his back that peaked over both shoulders as well as each of his sides under his arms before dipping down to the waistband of his jeans flicking the button of his jeans open. "I never pegged you for a tattoo type guy, you know." It told him as I kissed all around the pieces of tattoos that dipped over to the front.

He just chuckled. "It spans my entire back, all the way down to my waist and into my jeans a little bit." He said as he gripped my thighs urgently flexing his fingers.

"I know, I saw bits of it at Kate and Garrett's. What is it?" I asked as I placed kisses all around his chest while his hands quickly up and down my thighs creating friction along the path.

He whimpered as he arched up into my kisses. "It's a huge tribal tattoo that I got started on during my first semester away. It has quotes running all in it." He whispered huskily. "I never pegged you for a tattoo type of girl either." He said as he trailed his fingers over the edge of my tattoo on my shoulder. It was the only one visible at the moment.

"Rose and I got our first ones on our first day in Providence." I whispered as I placed a kiss to the center of his chest. "Oh God, this is going to be mind-blowing." I told him as he latched onto my nipple suddenly.

"Yes it is." He moaned out around my nipple as he flipped us back over so that he was on top before kissing over to pay attention to my other breast. "You are so beautiful, Isabella." He said as he tugged on my nipple causing me to arch my back at the sensations pushing my breast further into his mouth. "Better than my imagination could have ever conjured up."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

The next hour was a blur of foreplay and some of the best sex I had ever experienced in my entire life. It was so worth the spontaneity of the night and trip back home. "Oh God." I panted as I lay across the bed in a twitching heaping mess while Edward lay beside me not much better off than I was.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked as he reached out to trace his fingers gently up my arm. I wrenched away from him because I couldn't handle his touch right now, my skin felt electrified from the powerful orgasm he had just pulled from my body. For the fifth time. In an hour.

"Fine. I just can't handle your touch right now." I whispered quietly.

He chuckled as he rolled onto his side ignoring me as he trailed his fingertips across my stomach touching the edge of the feather tattoo I had on my side. "Why can't you handle it, Isabella?" He asked as he leaned over kissing me on the shoulder lightly as he trailed his fingers down my sweat slick stomach, circling the little fairy that sat on a mushroom on my hip and onto my thighs. "Is it because you are still quivering from those amazing orgasms I just gave you?" He asked as he trailed his fingers up my inner thighs causing me to literally quiver under his touch.

I groaned and rolled over to try and break his tantalizing touch but also to bury my face in the pillow so my answer was muffled. "Maybe." I muttered into the pillow.

"You can't hide from me, Isabella, and you don't even really want to." He chuckled into my ear as he straddled my thighs leaning over my back with his hands on either side of my shoulders before placing kisses across my shoulder blades. "Do you?" He asked he traced the pattern of my hibiscus on my shoulder with his lips and tongue. Wreaking havoc on my entire body with his tantalizing touch.

"No, why would I want to hide from this awesomeness." I told him, turning my head to the side, as I shivered under his gentle kisses and touch as he trailed his fingers up my sides gently.

"It's never been like this before, you know." He admitted as he trailed his kisses down my spine while his fingers searched out mine.

I raised my hips off the bed as I felt his renewed erection twitch against my bare butt trying to spread my legs a bit but he had me trapped with his thighs. "Edward…" I trailed off as he pulled my hands above my head our fingers interlocked and his body stretched on top of mine with his erection slipping between my quivering thighs.

"Again, Isabella. Now." He said as he released on hand trailing it down my back before I felt him grasp his hardness in his hand, guiding it to my entrance from behind. I had never done it with a guy straddling my thighs but I didn't care how I got it at the moment as long as he gave it to me.

I nodded as I tried to raise my hips off the bed but he just pressed his chest against my back forcing me to lay flat on the bed and his erection to slide against my slick folds bumping against my still sensitive clit. "Please, Edward. Don't tease.

"It's not teasing if you intend to follow through; just building the anticipation." He said as he slipped inside my slickness earning a deep moan from both of us that could rival a porn star's.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

As I stepped back into the room from the bathroom I noticed that the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. I walked to the window pulling the curtain aside to get a better view of the sunrise. "It's morning." I commented as Edward stepped up behind me clad in nothing but a towel hanging low on his hips.

"It is, indeed. Does that mean this is over? Any regrets?" he asked quietly as he wrapped his arms around me gently rocking us from side to side.

I shook my head. "Do you want it to be over? You don't have a harem of girls waiting for you back in Rhode Island?" I asked him as we watched the sun rise together.

He sighed and spun me around to face him. "Despite popular belief, baby, I'm not a ladies man. Bella, I have been with six girls since I lost my virginity at fourteen and four of those were relationships." He said as he cupped my face in his hands.

"Are you serious?" I asked him quietly as I put my hands on his towel clad hips. "Why didn't you ever bring any of them around? Why didn't they last?"

He nodded and kissed me gently on the forehead. "Yes, deadly serious. None of them lasted much longer than six months because they realized that I was crazy about someone else." He confessed quietly. "There was no reason to bring them home when I knew they wouldn't last." He cupped my face gently in his hands as he gazed intently at me.

"Wow, I never knew. Why didn't you ever say something when people made you out to be a man whore?" I asked him quietly as I placed my hands over his on either side of my face.

"It was pointless when my brother is the one that was spreading them." He told me quietly.

"Why would he do that and why didn't I know?" I asked him curiously.

He shrugged. "I don't know why he didn't tell you, baby, you will have to take that up with him. I knew I would get a chance to tell you the truth one of these days." He said as he kissed me gently on the lips. "And today is that day." Our lips meshed together perfectly as our desire for one another simmered just below the surface satiated for the moment.

"What's to make me any different than your other relationships? I don't want to start one only to have you unable to commit i—" Edward's lips stopped my rant mid-word.

I groaned when he finally pulled away. "You are that girl, Isabella. You've always been that girl."

"This is crazy, what are you saying?" I asked as I pulled away from him turning around to finish watching the sun rise once again. He wrapped his arms around my waist tugging me back against his chest. "I've dated your brother for six years and now you are telling me that I am the reason you haven't had a serious relationship?" I told him in a rush.

"I'm crazy about you, Isabella, and my brother has known about it for years. He found me staring at you one day out our dining room doors and said it was so obvious, he begged me not to say anything to you. You are not dating him anymore and have no intentions of reconciliation, right?" He said sliding his hands down to my hips trying to get me to turn and face him.

I nodded in agreement but still refused to face him just yet. "Right."

"Then what's the problem? Give me a chance, baby, please. That's all I'm asking for is a chance." He said softly as he wrapped his arms around my middle tugging me back against his warm chest again. His smell assaulted my senses causing me to inhale it while I could. He smelled amazing, a unique scent that I had never smelled before. Honey, clean linen, spicy, and...home.

I sighed as I leaned into his warm embrace placing my arms over his that wrapped around my middle. "Okay, but you get to be the one to tell Esme."

He laughed. "Deal but you get to tell Charlie. I don't think he likes me very much so I will take my mom over your dad any day of the week. I know my mom loves me and you both."

"We're really going to do this? What are we going to tell them?"

"Yes, will you be my girlfriend?" He whispered into my ear quietly. Crazy, I tell you but who was I to deny the chance to find out if the passion was just lust or real passion.

I giggled and nodded. "Yeah, I suppose I could do that. I guess that will make the introductions a little less awkward maybe."

Edward sighed heavily against my neck. "I'm sure it's still going to be a little awkward for a little while until people get used to it. I mean, I am now dating my brother's ex-girlfriend but that is his loss and my gain."

I nodded. "Yeah, I can hope that people will just go with it though and not question it. Have you met Alice, yet?" I asked him because I had no idea what she looked like or what she was like. I was mildly curious.

"I met her a few months ago at the art show Jasper drug me to but I met her as Jasper's new girlfriend a few days before flying home. They are obviously happy together so, why don't we deserve some happiness too?" He asked as he started placing kisses up and down the back of my neck.

I spun around in his arms looping my arms around his neck as I leaned back in his arms. "We do. Want to give me some more of your happiness right now?"

He chuckled and nodded as he walked backwards until his knees hit the edge of the bed before falling back pulling me on top of him.

It was almost noon before we remembered to plug our dead cell phones in. They went crazy as soon as they turned on. "Oh shit, I never texted Rose last night." I mumbled as I scrolled through my messages on my phone.

Instead of replying to her multiple text messages and voicemails I just dialed her number. "ISABELLA MARIE SWAN! Where are you!? I was worried sick about you. Somebody said you left with Edward but I knew that couldn't be right." Rose screeched as she answered her phone.

I giggled as I leaned back into Edward's chest as he was propped up against the headboard checking his phone too. "I'm at the Lodge actually, a few rooms down from you guys. It's been a crazy kind of night and morning." I told her honestly.

"Whose room are you in?"

I chuckled. "Edward's." I had to pull the phone away to keep my hearing from her screeching through the phone. "Rose!" I called her name firmly to get her to calm down.

"What?" She asked suddenly.

"Stop the screeching. Please and I will answer any questions you have." I told her as Edward wrapped an arm around my chest placing a kiss to the top of my head.

I heard her take a deep breath. "Do you mean to tell me that out of all the hot and sweaty men in that club you picked Edward Masen, man whore extraordinaire brother to your ex?" She asked in a fairly calm voice.

"It's all a lie started by Jasper and I didn't pick him up. He picked me up."

"What do you mean a lie started by Jasper? Was it any good?"

I groaned as I rolled my head against Edward's chest, feeling his chuckle rumble through his chest. Rose was really loud. "Rose!"

"I will take that as a hell yes which I will kindly remind you, you never said about Jasper's lovemaking. You and Edward have never gotten along and now we are just supposed to suddenly believe him?"

"Rose, please just give him a chance." I trailed off in a whisper as I placed a kiss on Edward's bicep. "I'll explain everything later. Promise."

I heard her sigh. "Just be careful, sissy. Do you need a ride back home? We're about to leave."

I looked back at Edward because I knew he had lunch with him mom and her new boyfriend today. "Do I need to hitch a ride back to Forks with Rose and Em?" I asked him quietly.

He shrugged his shoulders. "That's up to you, baby. You can either ride back with them or come to lunch with me, Ma, and her new boyfriend."

I shrugged before turning my attention back to my phone and Rose. "I guess I will catch a ride with Edward later this afternoon." I told her before we finished up our conversation and hung up the phone. "What time are we supposed to meet Esme for lunch?" I asked Edward as I tossed my phone onto the bed beside us. We had just gotten dressed about half an hour ago but knowing how we had been the past several hours that could change at any second. I was wearing my jeans from last night, sans underwear because that shit was just gross, and Edward's shirt from last night that still smelled like him.

"3 o'clock. Why?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist tucking his chin in the crook of my neck.

I laughed as I pulled away from him scurrying off the bed before we could get carried away again. "I need clothes for lunch. I don't want to see your mother for the first time in almost a year and a half wearing my clothes from last night or your clothes." I told him with a wink as I danced away from the bed.

"Our first excursion as a couple is shopping. Of course it is." He said as he stood from the bed with our phones in his hands.

I just laughed as I nodded. "Yep, but I don't really like shopping so it shouldn't be that bad. I just need a complete new outfit for lunch. We can just run to Walmart and do a one stop mini shopping spree." I told him as I tossed my hair up into a quick ponytail on top of my head.

"Are you going to model your undergarments?." Edward asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

I giggled and nodded. "You are a perv and no you aren't allowed to try them on before buying them."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Almost two hours later Edward and I were walking hand and hand into the restaurant, Café Garden, with smiles on our faces. Edward had tried to talk me into defiling a Walmart dressing room but I had resisted. "Edward, if you don't wipe that smirk off your face, your mother is going to know exactly what we have been doing all morning." I told him as I squeezed his hand.

I admit it was a bit strange being all couplely today with Edward but it was a good kind of strange. And like Edward said, Jasper was happy so why couldn't we be happy too?

He tugged me into his side. "I think the smirk is the least of your worries, baby. I have a terrible hard on just at the mere thought of that beautiful pink and white set you have on underneath that sweater and these sinfully tight jeans." He whispered huskily into my ear as he fingered the edge of my light gray sweater I had on underneath my dark blue pea coat. I had a tank top on too but that didn't seem to matter to him because his fingers still found the bare skin of my hip despite all the layers.

I elbowed him in the ribs. "Behave. I see your mother and she looks confused as to why I am here with you." I told him as I nodded in the direction of his mother and who I guessed was her new boyfriend. I waved to her as we weaved through the table.

"Does she know about you and Jasper breaking up?" He asked me quietly.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't think so. I'm here with you and that's all that matters anymore. He's the cheating bastard not me." I told him as we walked to the edge of the table. "Hi, Esme." I said as the woman who I had considered my surrogate mother for years now pulled me into her arms for a motherly hug.

"Hi, sweetheart, how are you?" She asked as she released me from the hug I had missed for a while now.

I laughed. "I'm great." I told her as I winked at Edward who winked in return. "How are you?"

She shrugged as she pulled Edward into her arms for a hug to her oldest son. "I'm great, Bella. How are you, my sweet boy?" she asked Edward as she kissed him on the cheek causing him to blush and duck his head.

"I'm great, Ma. Couldn't be better." He said as he tugged me back into his arms causing him mom to look at us confused.

She waved a finger between the two of us with a raised eyebrow that said her words for her. "Explain this. Now."

"Jasper's a douche and Bella has agreed to give me a chance to be her boyfriend." Edward said with a shrug oh his shoulders.

She nodded. "When did this happen? My other son has been avoiding my calls the last few weeks so I'm assuming it was before that."

I nodded this time. "I won't go into details because that is a moot point now but we split ways about five weeks ago." I explained to her. "I wish him all the happiness in the world."

She shook her head. "Well, I would like you to meet my boyfriend, Carlisle. Carlisle, my oldest son, Edward and his girlfriend Bella." She gave the introductions with a huge smile on her face. I couldn't help but smile as she introduced me as Edward's girlfriend.

Lunch was an enjoyable affair as we sat chatting with Esme and getting to know Carlisle but Edward was a little gruff and standoffish towards him. I enjoyed catching up with Esme because I had missed her terribly while away in Rhode Island; since my mom didn't want to be a mother Esme had stepped up when they moved into the neighborhood.

Staring out the window I got lost in my thoughts as Edward drove down the highway leading us back to Forks. "Can I see you while we are still here?" He asked suddenly breaking me out of my quiet musings.

I shrugged. "I don't care, do you want to see me while we are still here?" I asked him because I really hated the idea of not seeing him for the next few weeks. "Are you staying with your mom in PA?"

He let out a strangled laugh. "There is no way in hell that I am staying with my mom at her boyfriend's place when he isn't much older than me."

"Edward, he is thirty three. You are only twenty two. You guys are eleven years apart." I told him as I tried to contain my giggles. "It's not all that uncommon these days."

"And my mom is forty one, Bella." He said with a disgusted shake of his head. "That's just wrong. She's a cougar."

I couldn't contain my laughter at the look on his face and folded over onto my legs as my giggles took over my entire body. "I can't believe you just called your mom a cougar. I don't think she's a cougar because Carlisle is in his 30's not 20's."

"So? It's a little disturbing." He grouched as he drove stoically glaring at the highway.

Once I had control of my laughter I sat back in the seat turning to face Edward. "So, where are you going to stay then since you can't stomach staying with you mom?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I will figure that out later, after I drop you off. I just flew in yesterday so I haven't got any permanent plans yet."

I shook my head. "Why don't you stay with me at Charlie's? Rose has Emmett with her." I suggested to him.

"What about Charlie and Rose? Neither of them are my biggest fans." He said as he turned down the street that Charlie's house was on.

"I will talk to both of them when we get there but I'm sure as long as you make me happy and do like your dimwitted brother then they will be okay. Charlie may try to make you sleep on the couch but I won't let that happen and neither will Rose when I bring up the fact that Emmett is sleeping in her room." I told him as I looked out the window at the passing houses.

Edward pulled up into the driveway behind my new used truck that Charlie had gotten me for an early Christmas present. "Okay, you have yourself a deal on one stipulation." He said as he turned the car off.

I turned around in the seat so that I could face him fully. "Name it." I asked him as I reached for his hands.

He grabbed my hands in his. "If I start to get on your nerves you will kick me to the couch or out of the house completely." He said gripping my hands in his.

"I don't see that happening in just a few days or weeks. When are you scheduled to go home?" I asked him curiously.

"Two weeks, I have a return flight the day after New Years' because I have to be back before school starts." He said as he tugged me over onto his lap.

I draped my arms around his neck. "Classes don't start for three and a half weeks though." I said in confusion.

He sighed and shook his head. "Not college, high school, sweetheart. I have been working with Dr. Ferguson over at Providence Prep for the past few months, shadowing him to get a feel for being a teacher. While I'm not an education major it was recommended for me to shadow someone who was willing to let me. I need to be there for the first day back." He explained quietly.

"Oh, I didn't know you were doing that." I told him as I leaned up and kissed his lips gently.

He nodded. "Not many people do, I haven't been broadcasting it because when I originally chose Music as my major I didn't plan on teacher but live evolves, I guess. My mom and Jasper don't even know about it. You are the only one besides a few classmates." He said quietly.

"I feel honored then. Let's get inside before Charlie and Rose stare a hole through the windows with their spying." I told him with one last gentle peck to the lips which caused a brilliant smile to appear across his face. I don't think I would ever tire of seeing that smile.

He laughed as he opened his door, helping me slide off of his lap and out of the car without busting my ass in the driveway. "Are you sure your dad is going to be okay with this? With me staying here in your room?" He asked as we walked up to the door hand in hand.

"He may grumble about it for a bit but he's letting Emmett stay in Rose's room with her." I reassured him as I opened the door.

I felt him tense up as we walked through the door. "Dad! Rose!" I chastised them as we rounded the wall into the living room catching them mid dive to the couch and recliner. "You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. Especially you Rose after you and Emmett—"

Her scream stopped me mid-sentence. "You stop right there missy." She said with a playful glare because I had caught her and Emmett doing a lot more than talking and innocent kissing in our driveway more than once.

"What?" Dad asked innocently while Rose just shrugged her shoulders with a crooked smile and a wiggle of her eyebrows.

I sighed as I tugged Edward over to the couch so we could sit beside Rose. "Dad, Edward is going to be staying here with me until he goes back home, is that okay?" I asked him as I curled into Edward's side as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Are you two dating now?" My dad asked gruffly.

Edward and I both nodded. "Yes sir, we are. I know you and I got off to a bad start when I was in high school but I am hoping we can start over now." Edward said as he looked my dad in the eyes.

My dad huffed. "Have you been arrested since you've been away at college?" My dad asked gruffly.

Edward shook his head. "No sir and I'm set to graduate with honors in May and I have a lead on a job offer to teach music at the local private school." Edward explained as he placed a gentle kiss on top of my head.

"You want to stay in Rhode Island?" I asked because I had plans to move back to this coast so I could be closer to my dad.

Edward shrugged. "I don't really know, I've never really thought about it but nothing is set in stone."

"I never would have pegged you for a teacher when you were a teenager wreaking havoc in my town." Charlie said with a slight smile.

Edward laughed while Rose just watched and listened intently. "My major is Music with a minor in Education. Teaching wasn't and isn't my first option but a job is a job."

"That's great, Edward." Charlie said as he unmuted the TV allowing the football game to echo once again throughout the living room.

"Papa Charlie?" Lizzy asked as she stumbled into the room rubbing her eyes.

Charlie quickly hopped from the chair scooping the little girl in his arms. "I'm right here, sweetheart. Did you have a good nap?" He asked as he sat back down in the recliner with her in his lap.

"Uh huh, I did." She said as she blinked her eyes open. "Who pwayin?" She asked pointing to the TV.

Rose groaned as she stood from the couch heading out of the room. I tugged Edward up from the couch. "We're gonna go get Edward's bag." I told my dad as we left him and Lizzy alone in the living room to discuss the game on TV.

"HOLD UP!" Charlie shouted before we could make it out the door.

I gripped Edward's hand tightly in mine as we both turned to face my father. "Yes sir?" I asked with a smile on my face because I knew this was an argument I was going to win.

Charlie just pointed back and forth between Edward and myself. "He's staying here? In your room?"

I just nodded with a smile. "Yes, I asked you when we first walked in. I didn't think it would be a problem since you let Em stay with Rose. Is it?"

I watched as he gritted his teeth as the little girl in his lap watched us curiously. "No."

"Thanks dad." I said as I tugged Edward out the open door.

"My dad arrested you in high school?" I asked him as he got his two bags out of the backseat of his car.

"Yeah, three times actually. Once for speeding and twice for disturbing the peace." He said as we walked back up to the house.

"Disturbing the peace? What were you doing?" I asked him as I shut the door behind him before starting up the stairs to my bedroom.

I heard him sigh as he followed behind me. "I was arguing with Jasper, screaming is more like it, over you. Both times." He mumbled quietly.

"Over me?" I asked him as I pushed open my bedroom door. I finally wanted the explanation that I hadn't asked for last night or this morning. "You have got to explain all of this to me. I didn't think I wanted to know but now I do." I told him as I closed the door flipping the lock just for the sake of privacy.

He tossed his bags to the floor, grabbing me by the waist and tossing us onto the bed causing me to shriek playfully. "Yes, over you. The first time was when I was sixteen and you guys were fourteen and had been dating for about six months. He found a picture of you in my bedside table that I had stolen from Ma's stash. You were standing in the backyard staring up at the night sky with your arms wrapped around your waist, as if you were hugging yourself. He confronted me out in the yard and said he knew I was in love with you but that you were his. The neighbors called the cops on us because we were screaming and hollering very loudly before he threw the first punch. The other time was a similar occurrence except he caught me watching you one day as you and Rose were washing her car."

"Wow. So he's known all along how you felt about me?" I asked as I lay my head on his chest draping my leg across his waist. "Why didn't he ever say anything to me?

"Well at least since you were fourteen." He said as he wrapped his arms around me tugging me firmly against his side. "You will have to ask him why he never told you but does it really matter now?"

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**So...who wants Edward to lose his restraint with them? Review and let me know.**


	7. Now 4

All I am going to say is...WOW! 1 review for a 7 thousand plus chapter.

FRUSTRATED

TICKED OFF

IRRITATED

FRUSTRATED

These words only begin to describe what I feel right now at the moment about the lack of reviews.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Now**

"Do you and Mr. M consider that night at the club or lunch the next day with his mom to be your first date?" Sarah, one of my more conservative students asked quietly.

I shook my head, sending my hair swirling around my head. "No, Edward took me on an amazing first date the next evening. We will get into that tomorrow because we have about five minutes before the bell rings."

"Your dad was cool with you and Mr. M staying together?" Sarah asked in a shocked voice.

I laughed. "It's not like we were kids, Sarah. We were in our twenties plus it would be kind of hypocritical of him to tell me no when he had allowed Rose to do it. Now wouldn't it?"

"That's so cool. How many tattoos do you have?" Chloe, another of my gifted students asked, changing the subject.

I chuckled quietly because this is not something I ever expected to be discussing with my students but I guess I did bring it on all by myself. "I have seven, but they can all be hidden with clothes if I so choose." I told them without giving too much away. "You guys have never even seen a glimpse of one have you?" I asked them and like I had expected, all of them shook their heads negatively.

"Can we see any of them?" Nichole asked quietly.

I hopped off the desk turning my back to them as I pulled my waist length hair up onto the top of my head causing my class to gasp. "What do those symbols mean?" Justin asked with excited curiosity in his voice.

"They mean 'hope, faith, and love' the date was just added six months ago on our honeymoon, it's our wedding date." I told them as I let my hair back down but draped it over my right shoulder as I shrugged my shirt off my shoulder exposing the pink hibiscus flower that was surrounded by black and pink swirls. "This was my very first one, the day I moved to Rhode Island." I explained as I hopped back up on the desk righting my shirt.

"That's so pretty, Mrs. Masen." Mary Beth mused quietly.

"Thanks, Mary Beth. I also have an anchor with flowers wound around it on my left ankle, a fairy on my left hip, a toad going up in flames on my right hip, a skeleton key hanging from a ribbon with our engagement date etched in the ribbon on my right ankle, and a huge blue and purple Indian feather on my right side." I told them as I motioned under my arm. "It runs from here…" I pointed to right under my arm "…to here." I trailed my fingers down to below my waistband.

"And Mr. M's?" Victoria asked with dreamy eyes.

I laughed and shook my head. "I don't mind sharing mine but if he wants you to know what his are and where they are then you are going to have to ask him because we are out of-" I was cut off by the bell ringing. "-time."

The kids scurried out of the room and my next period students trickled in and took their seats. By the time lunch rolled around I felt like I could curl up on my desk and take a nap. I trudged my way to the band room and on into Edward's office where he was sitting at his desk talking on the phone. I made my way to the couch and laid down on it, tugging the blanket that I had put there weeks ago down over me. I felt my eyes drifting shut just as Edward hung up the phone. "Baby, are you not going to eat something first?" I heard him ask.

"No, later." I told him weakly as I allowed sleep to succumb me.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Baby, class starts in twenty minutes. Rise and shine." I heard as I felt kisses being placed all over the side of my head.

I groaned as I rolled over on the couch and blinked my eyes open. "Hi." I whispered as my stomach growled.

"Hi, I guess the babies are hungry, huh?" He asked as he stroked the side of my face.

I nodded as I sat up on the couch. "Yeah, I guess so. " I told him as I stretched easing the kinks out of my back. "I sure needed that nap though." I told him as he handed me a sandwich and a bag of chips.

"I bet. I've got to get back to the kids but class is over in like 15 minutes." He said as he kissed me on top of the head.

I nodded as I took a huge bite out of the sandwich.

I was dead on my feet by the time that final bell rang signaling the end of the day. "God, I'm exhausted." I told Edward as we trudged to the car, him doing most of the walking and me just sliding along tiredly.

"I know, baby. You can go to sleep as soon as we get home, okay?" Edward said as he helped me into the seat.

I nodded as I fastened my seatbelt tiredly, adjusting it around my growing baby bump. "Sounds good to me. Wanna stop at La Prima on the way home for pizza?" I asked him as my stomach growled again.

"Sure, we can do that." He said as he pulled out onto the highway that would lead us home.

I don't remember much about that evening except Edward waking me up on the couch and telling me that my pizza and chicken wings were ready for me.

I woke up the next morning to the alarm blaring across the room, Edward wrapped around me like an octopus, and my bladder about to explode. "Edward!" I called as I nudged him in the shoulder. He was a notoriously hard sleeper, hence the loud alarm clock that we had.

"Huh?" He asked groggily.

"Get up." I snapped at him as I shoved him off of me as I headed for the bathroom to relieve my bladder that his children were apparently sleeping on.

I sighed as the annoying alarm clock turned off. I did my morning routine slowly as the smells of coffee and breakfast being cooked wafted through the house, up the stairs, and into our bedroom. I wrapped my robe around me as I walked through the bedroom to our closet so I could get dressed for the day. I was so ready for Christmas break already, to be able to sleep in and lounge around in my pajamas was like giving heaven on earth for me right now. I tugged my clothes on while my stomach rumbled and growled the entire time. "Chill out peanuts, we're about to go get us something to eat." I told them as I tugged my mid-thigh length white sweater over my yellow leggings. I grabbed my knee high boots and socks before making my way to the kitchen where I knew breakfast was waiting. "You know, you didn't have to cook. A bowl of cereal would have sufficed just fine." I told my sexy husband as I rounded the corner into the kitchen.

Edward was standing at the stove flipping the omelet with a crooked smile, bare chest, and bare feet with his dress pants hanging low on his hips and his shirt draped across one of the bar stools. "I knew my baby's would be hungry this morning because mommy was too tired last night to eat much more than just a few bites." He said as he held an arm out for me.

I walked under his arm snuggling into his side as I placed kisses along his lower jaw. "Mmmm…good morning, handsome." I whispered quietly into his chest.

He turned off the stove and quickly picked me up sitting me on the counter beside it as he stepped between my legs standing rock hard abs to babies. "Good morning indeed. You look good enough to eat, Isabella." He whispered as he trailed kisses up my neck to my ear. "I think I'm gonna like you wearing leggings every day." He said sliding his hands up my legs.

I chuckled pushing him away. "We're gonna be late for school." I told him playfully when he scowled at me.

He shrugged carelessly with a cocky smirk on his face. "They would all understand, I'm sure." He said as he helped me off the counter anyways before handing me a plate with a cheesy omelet on it. "Have you thought anymore about how to reveal to our families that we are having twins?" He asked as we sat down at the table.

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe we can have everybody over for dinner this weekend and maybe have cream filled cupcakes or something filled with blue and green filling and serve everybody one of each of them?" I suggested as I dug into the cheesy omelet he had made me and our babies. Moaning as the flavors exploded on my tongue.

"Maybe." He said as he dug into his omelet. "Maybe Alice and Jasper will even feel up to venturing out with baby Alex." He said with a smile. He was always happy being a doting uncle to all the girls but now that a boy was in the family he was practically giddy with excitement.

I smiled and nodded. "They've been stuck in that hospital room and their house for a few days now so I am sure a little family interaction would be a welcome distraction for them." I told him as I shoveled the last few pieces of the delicious omelet into my mouth.

Edward nodded as he drained his glass of orange juice. "I can't wait to get my hands on that nephew of ours." He said with a huge smile.

I shook my head. "Just think, soon enough we will have two little boys of our own." I told him with a smile as I reached over and laid my hand on top of his.

"I know, I can't wait because it will help even the numbers out a little bit." He said as he kissed the top of my head before grabbing our plates walking them over to the sink to rinse them off.

A few hours later I was sitting atop my desk swinging my legs back and forth musing about how I was going to fit such a long relationship in just the few days that I had left before Christmas break. It was Friday, which meant I only had three school days before winter break. "What's up, Mrs. Masen?" James asked as he came strolling into the room with his arm tossed around Victoria's shoulders.

"Nothing, just wandering how to shrink mine and Mr. M's story so that it will fit into the three days of school we have left." I told them as I swung my legs back and forth as I nibbled on my bottom lip.

"Do you have to fit it into just the next few days? Can't you tell us a piece of your story like on Friday's?" Victoria asked as she slid into her desk. "Story time for seniors?"

I mused over that fact, and seriously considered it because after Christmas, this particular class would only have one more big test over one more book then it would be more college prep and preparing for the final. "Hmm…that would make things easier, I wouldn't have to pick and choose which moments of the last five years to share. It would kind of be a neat way to spend my last semester of teaching." I told Victoria as I cradled my baby bump in my hands peacefully.

"You're not teaching next year?" Nichole asked as she walked into the room.

I shook my head. "No, I am going to stay at home with our babies. They will only be a few months old when the new school year starts." I explained quietly.

"Babies? As in more than one?" Nichole asked excitedly.

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, identical twins according to the ER doc the other night. We are having two little boys." I explained as I rubbed my ever growing bump steadily. I felt okay sharing that news with them since Jasper was out on paternity leave.

That announcement got a bunch of excited chatter from the few other students that had ventured into the classroom. "Okay guys, quiz time then story time but first a little announcement." I told them as I got up to shut the door right after the bell rang.

"What's the announcement?" Matthew asked irritably, he hated any kind of change.

I chuckled as I hopped back up on the edge of my desk. "The announcement is that there is no way I am going to be able to give you guys a genuine history of mine and Edward's relationship in just three school days so you guys can thank Victoria for suggesting spreading the stories out until graduation. So while we are on break I will try to come up with a way to get through our needed lessons and maybe fit in one or possibly two days a week for story time. I will work out the details and give you the new plan after break. Will that work for you guys?" I asked them as I rifled through the papers on my desk pulling out their quiz for today.

"Yes!" They all called back excitedly as they pulled out a single sheet of paper and a pen without having to be told.

"Okay, let's get started. Question number 1….." The quiz took a total of ten minutes, including handing them back in.

"Story time! Story time!" They all chanted as I straightened the stack of papers in my arms causing me to laugh because even though most of them were 18 and some were even 19 years old they were acting like a kindergartner who wants story time.

I sighed before speaking. "Okay, since you guys asked about our first date that is where I will start. We had been back in Forks for a few days and were settled in at Charlie's when Rose and Emmett's daughter's began driving us crazy with their constant noise…."


	8. First Date

_I just want to get one thing straight before we start with the most amazing first date ever that answers a lot of questions but may also pose more._

_I was NOT begging for reviews as one reviewer- who wasn't signed in so i could give this response in private- __accused me of doing while insulting me by saying I was no better than the first graders they teach. I was taught that when you give praise for a job well done then you will continue to get that 'job' done to those standards. I pour my heart and soul into each and every chapter of each and every story that I write and I don't think it's too much to ask for a little 'praise' from time to time. I ABSOLUTELY DO appreciate each and every review that is sent my way. I am sorry that I am so horrible at getting back to each and every one of you that does take the time to review but just know that your words mean something to me!_

_I'm sorry if this offends you but it offended me!_

_Now, without further ado...the first date!_

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**Chapter 8**

**First Date**

"Baby, come on. We have got to get out of this house for a few hours. Will you go on a date with me, Isabella?" Edward asked as he crawled over my body that was laid across my bed. I had been up here hiding away because Abby had unfortunately gotten a cold along with an ear infection in the few days we had been here so she whined or screamed most of the day and night. Edward had found me with my ear buds in my ears as I lay across my old childhood bed tapping my feet along to the beat against my foot board.

I leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips as a smile spread across my face. "I would love to go on a date with you, handsome. Is that where you disappeared to for the last few hours?" I asked as I wrapped my arms and legs around his body tugging him down on top of me until we were flush.

He nodded. "Yes, but the details are a surprise so don't bother asking. I'm going to take you on a trip down memory lane from my perspective. You game?" He asked me as he pecked gentle kisses all around my face and neck causing me to giggle and squeal as I tried my best to roll us over so that I could be on top.

"Yes, I'm game. What do I need to wear?" I asked him as I gave up and sunk my fingers through his hair and turning his head to look out my bedroom window to see the rain pelting against the glass. "It's raining as usual."

"Jeans and a shirt is fine but it would probably be better if you wear some sort of boots though, we are going on a little walk through memory lane today after all. Being out in the rain is going to be a given." He said as he placed a gentle kiss on my lips before pushing up on his hands essentially doing a push up around me. "Think you can handle that?"

I smiled and nodded as he rolled over so I could climb from the bed to get dressed. "I think that's an easy request to handle, handsome. It sounds like fun."

I quickly stripped out of my pajamas I had slipped on this morning after our shower before the girls had woken the entire house up with their noise. Smiling over my shoulder at him as I tugged on the closest pair of jeans I could find along with a simple long sleeved white t-shirt with my yellow and white polka dot rain boots. I tugged my blue jacket on to ward off the chill that was sure to be in the air outside considering it was December in the Northwest.

"All ready!" I told him as I stood between his spread legs reaching up to tug my headphones from his ears much like he had done me earlier. He was laying with his head hanging slightly off the other side of the bed with his eyes closed and my headphones in his ears and iPod on his chest.

The smile that crept up his face told me he wasn't asleep but wide awake and alert. "How come I've never seen those rain boots until just now?" He asked as he sat up scanning my wardrobe choices. "I've known you for over ten years and I've never known you to actually wear rubber rain boots."

I just laughed and wiggled them for him. "They're sexy aren't they?"

He just got a goofy grin on his face as he stood suddenly from the bed. "You could be wearing a potato sack and moccasins and I would still think you were sexy." He said as he grabbed me around the waist tossing me over his shoulder walking out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

"Our first destination is your old house?" I asked as he guided me down the sidewalk instead of to his rental car that was parked behind my truck in the driveway.

He nodded as he threaded our fingers together swinging our arms between us while his other hand held the umbrella that was protecting us from the steady drizzle. "It is. The final paperwork hasn't gone through yet so technically it is still my mom's." He explained as we walked up their driveway.

"Okay." I said in confusion as he opened the door guiding me inside the familiar home. "Do you ever miss being a kid?" I asked as we turned into the driveway heading for the front door.

He shrugged. "Not really. Sometimes responsibility sucks but at least I don't have to answer to anybody but myself. Ma tried to make my childhood as normal as possible but the reality is that I lost two fathers by the time I was thirteen and had three sets of grandparents that I lost as well. What about you?"

I shrugged just like he did. "Sort of. I miss seeing Charlie every day. Like you said, responsibility sucks. Having to work and go to school really really sucks but that's all part of being an adult, I guess. I like the freedom but it's difficult at times." I explained as we walked through the front door. "Where are you taking me?" I asked as he shut the door turning to go up the stairs to the second story where all the bedrooms and two of the bathrooms were located.

"Do you remember the first time you came into this house?" He asked as he tugged me up the stairs to the landing that looked out over the living room.

I shook my head. "No, I have spent so many days, evenings, holidays, and nights in this house they all sort of mesh together. Do you remember that particular day?" I asked him as I gripped the railing leaning forward to look down into the living room and kitchen that held so many memories for me. Almost as many as my own home did.

"I do. I remember that you came practically spilling into the house because you, Rose, and Jasper had been playing soccer in the street when it became a torrential downpour outside instead of the normal drizzle. You were barefoot, how you can play soccer barefoot I will never know but there you were with your bare feet covered in mud standing dripping all over the new carpet my mom had just had installed." He whispered in my ear as he pointed around me to the front door. "Right there. You stood there frozen like a deer caught in headlights."

"You remember all that?" I asked him as I tried to pick out the details of that day.

He nodded. "I do. We had only lived here for about a month when it happened. It was summertime so you were wearing these cutoff jeans with a Forks PD shirt that was almost like a dress on you, I assume it was Charlie's. Your hair was tossed in a sloppy ponytail on top of your head and you looked around our house with those big brown eyes of yours. You acted like you had never seen a house like ours before." He said as he kissed the back of my head.

"I think I remember that day now or at least how I felt the first time I came in here. It wasn't that I had never saw a house like this before, I had just never seen a home where the mother actually cared and was here." I told him as that day came back to me. "I hadn't wanted to come home with Jasper because I didn't know how to handle a mom because mine had never been around and Rose's was inattentive. But Jasper just grabbed my hand and pulled me along while Rose headed back to her house." I told him honestly.

He chuckled against the back of my head. "You looked scared shitless as you stood there taking everything in with those big expressive brown eyes of yours. I was standing right here, mesmerized by you. I was thirteen years old and pissed off at the world because we had moved so far from what I was used to but the fear that you put off standing just inside our front door told me that maybe my problems weren't as bad as I had thought."

"The look on your mom's face from the kitchen was absolutely terrifying. Jasper just tore loose from my grip and headed through the house, leaving me trembling inside the front door. He didn't know all the details about my mom then so he had no idea that I was going to react like that at the sight of your mom cooking." I admitted to him as I leaned back into him seeking the comfort he was offering.

"He kissed the side of my head before speaking softly. "I was mesmerized from that point on. I asked Jasper about you later that night and he admitted that he liked you and wanted you to be his girlfriend. You two were the same age and I was two years older than both of you so I just stayed in the shadows, never admitting to you how I felt until a few days ago." He admitted quietly. "But this is where I got my first glimpse of you."

"Did you have naughty teenage boy fantasies about me in your bedroom?" I teased him as I turned around in his arms draping my arms over his shoulders.

He groaned and hung his head. "It is too embarrassing to say yes but I don't want to lie on our first date either." He mumbled lowly.

I laughed as I sunk my fingers in his hair, tugging his head back up so I could look him in the eyes. "Are you sad to see this house go?" I asked him as I placed gentle kisses on each of his eyelids.

He nodded. "Yeah, this is where the three of us, Jazz, me, and our mom, healed together after Jazz's dad's accident. This is where you came into our lives, so yes I am sad to see it go but it deserves to help another family like it did ours." He said as he pulled me flush to his chest, tucking my head under his chin.

"It does. It deserves the best but I'm afraid it's already seen the best." I told him quietly as I looked around the empty house missing it already.

We stood there for a few minutes before he released me and tugged me back down the stairs. "You know, I almost told you how I felt about you the last Fourth of July I spent at home before leaving for college." He said as he led me to the French doors that led outside to the backyard that held just as many memories as the house did.

"Really? You were so distant and irritable that summer." I told him as he opened the doors and we stood there watching the rain come down. "I remember complaining about your attitude towards me to your mom and Charlie that summer. They said it was because you were nervous about going so far away for college on your own."

He chuckled quietly. "I was depressed because I was leaving everything I knew to pursue a dream that my dad had for me ever since I was thought of so they were partially right. I was also irritable because you and Jasper seemed to be closer than ever that summer and it pissed me off to watch it."

"I thought your dad died before you were born?" I asked him quietly gearing the conversation away from what happened between Jasper and I that summer. It was the summer I gave him my virginity but I'm sure Edward didn't want to know that any more than I wanted to be the one to tell him.

"He did, about three weeks before I was born; he died in a robbery as he was getting my mom some chocolate chip ice cream that she was craving one night. He wrote journals though, lots of journals about anything and everything. All of his dreams and wishes for me are written in those journals." He told me softly.

"Oh. What stopped you from telling me how you felt that summer?" I asked quietly as we watched the rain fall gently in the backyard.

"I remember the exact moment I finally got the courage up to do it. You were standing out in middle of the yard, after all the fireworks had been shot off, just looking up at the sky." He said as he pointed to a spot in the middle of the yard. "You looked so amazing standing out there with your hair shining in the moonlight as you starred up at the sky searching for something. To this day I still don't know what you were searching so hard for that night but you looked so at peace and serene just standing out there doing nothing but looking up at the sky."

"I was talking to my mom." I admitted quietly.

"Your mom?" He asked curiously. "Didn't she walk out when you were still a baby?"

I nodded as I leaned back into his chest. "Yeah. When I was like six years old, I asked my dad where she was because all the kids at school had a mommy and I didn't. He told me that he didn't know where she was but that the stars could be seen all over the world and if I ever wanted to talk to her all I had to do was find the brightest star in the sky and start talking." I explained to him. It was rare that I wanted or needed to talk to my mom but sometimes it helped to just talk about whatever was going on in my life to someone who couldn't or wouldn't talk back. "Why didn't you tell me that night? What stopped you?"

"Jasper. He caught me standing in the exact spot we are standing right now looking out at you with my hand on the doorknob and he asked me to spare us all because I was scheduled to head across the states in just a few days. It was the next day that I got my second disturbing the peace arrest from your father." He told me softly against the side of my neck.

"Hmm…do you know why I was out there in the first place?" I asked him as I tugged his arms around my waist.

I felt more than saw him shake his head. "No, we didn't really talk much that summer."

"Jasper and I had gotten into a huge fight and I needed some advice so I went outside to seek it from someone who couldn't talk back. The stars and sky can't talk back or spread your secrets around." I told him honestly.

He tightened his arms around my waist. "Well, we can't change the past but we can change the present and future. You ready for the next adventure?"

I sighed and nodded. "Are you going to tell me what it entails?" I asked as I turned around in his arms.

He shook his head. "Nope." He said as tugged the doors shut pulling me back through the house and out the front door.

Edward led us to his car but stopped beside it instead of opening the door. "It will be pretty obvious within just a few minutes of the drive where we are going so would you mind wearing this?" He asked sweetly as he tugged something from his back pocket.

"You know I hate surprises, right?" I asked him as I turned and gave him my back so he could tie the blindfold securely without pulling my hair.

He chuckled as he placed the folded strip of black cloth over my eyes and gently but snugly tied it around my head. "I do know you hate surprises but I promise you this is going to be a great surprise. Is that okay?" He whispered against my ear.

I gasped and nodded. "Yeah, it's fine." I whispered to the misty air around me.

"Are you aching for me, Isabella?" He asked huskily as he pressed his warm body solidly up against my back.

I groaned but nodded in admission. "Yes." I breathed out huskily as I pressed back against his firmness, feeling his 'firmness' against my butt. "Are you?" I whispered breathlessly.

"God, yes, I've been aching for you ever since we got here." He whispered huskily in my ear.

I groaned because it had felt too weird for me to have such amazing sex under my dad's roof and in my childhood bed where I had made out with his brother numerous times in. "I have too but it's just too weird…" I moaned out as he placed wet kisses up and down my neck only making the situation worse.

"I know, which is why I have a solution for our problem." He whispered huskily against my ear.

"Then what are we waiting for?" I asked him as I tilted my head to give him easier access.

I felt more than heard him chuckle against my neck. "Okay, we're going." He said as I heard him open the door and followed his detailed instructions as he helped me climb into the car before driving us to our next destination.

"You brought us to the high school?" I asked as the blindfold slipped off my eyes. "We don't have any memories here together, do we?" I asked him as I turned around to face him.

He smiled and nodded. "We do, you just may have always thought of them as insignificant but I thought of them as a major impact on my life." He explained as he cupped my face gently in his hands. "Trust me?" He asked quietly.

I nodded. "Unconditionally." I told him honestly. While our relationship was still new I knew that Edward would never hurt me or put me in a situation where I could possibly get hurt.

"Good, come on then." He said as he placed a gentle kiss on my lips before grabbing my hand and tugging me into the school. It seemed like we couldn't stop touching or kissing ever since we had started a few days ago.

"Are we allowed in here?" I asked hesitantly as he opened the double doors that I had walked through countless times in the past.

He chuckled as he continued down the hall without a second thought. "I got permission from Mrs. Cope earlier today. We have four hours before she comes and closes the school back up for the holidays." He explained as he tugged us into the cafeteria.

"What are we doing here?" I asked as I curiously glanced around the empty room with a single table and two chairs sitting in the middle of the room.

He laughed as he tugged us towards said table. "Did you know that I used to sit over in that corner" he said pointing to the far corner of the cafeteria "and wish it was me sitting next to you over here instead of my brother?" He asked playfully.

I shook my head. "No, I had no idea. You were always surrounded by girls." I said as he pulled one of the chairs out for me.

"Those girls meant absolutely nothing to me, Isabella. No matter how hard it was for me, I kept my promise to my brother and never admitted my feelings or acted on them." He said as he sat in the other empty chair right beside mine. "Until now." He said as he leaned over kissing me.

"Until now." I echoed softly.

"Lunch?" Edward asked as we broke our lips apart.

I nodded and he reached under the table pulling a picnic basket out. "Wow, you didn't leave anything for chance, did you?" I asked him as he pulled container after container out of the basket before pulling two plates and two forks out of the very bottom.

He shook his head. "Nope, I want today to be perfect. For both of us." He said sweetly.

"It is." I promised him as he began pulling the lids off the containers.

I sat back in the chair with my hands on my poofed out stomach. "God, I'm stuffed. That was delicious." I said aloud as Edward packed up the empty containers.

"It was delicious but I will admit that I didn't prepare any of the food. Now we get to go onto the next spot, so we will walk some of this food off." He said as he closed the lid on the basket.

I nodded as I stood up, stretching the muscles in my back. "How did you set all of this up in such a short amount of time? You were only gone for a little over two hours." I asked him as I stared out the glass wall that led to the outside courtyard. It was still raining but not as steadily as it had been earlier.

"Mrs. Cope left the basket with all the food and has also set up the next spot for me. She was always sweet on me back in the day." He said with a wink as he stood up holding out his hand.

I laughed as I took his hand letting him guide me back out into the hall. "It's amazing that you have so many admirers, both young and old." I laughed at the expression on his face as we walked down the hall until we came to the biology lab, where we had been lab partners for all of three weeks his senior year as he finally succumbed to the requirement of biology lab for graduation. "What are we doing in here?"

"Do you know why I requested my schedule to be changed after just a few weeks of being your lab partner?" He asked as he tugged me to the table we had shared for such a short amount of time in comparison to the years we had known each other. There were candles all over the room, their flames flickering gently as we walked past them. OUR lab table was covered in red and white rose petals.

I shook my head as I looked around the romanticized lab room. I hadn't ever pictured this room as a romantic place but he had made it possible and it looked amazing. "This looks amazing, Edward." I said as I looked all around the room until I remembered his question that he had asked. "Why did you change classes? I thought you hated me or something. You barely spoke to me in those three weeks and you missed several days of school also, if I remember correctly." I told him as I wrapped my arms around his waist pressing our hips flush together.

He shook his head as he wrapped his arms around me. "Nope, I never hated you but you nearly drove me insane in that short amount of time. Flicking your hair, sending your amazing scent all around our table; chewing on the end of all your pens and pencils; tapping your foot to some unknown beat that only you were privy to; or just always striking up senseless conversations to break the silence when I just wanted to get through the class without attacking you." He admitted as he reached down and grabbed me by my butt, lifting me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist. "You have no idea how many times I wanted to do this…" He trailed off as he sealed his lips passionately to mine.

He backed us up until I felt the lab table under me. "Are we breaking in our lab table?" I asked him when we broke for oxygen.

He smiled wickedly and nodded. "If you're game we are." He said huskily as he placed passionate kisses all up and down my neck.

"Oh, I'm game." I purred as I threaded my fingers through his hair tugging his head back so I could have access to his jaw and lips.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Almost an hour later Edward and I were a heap of sweaty limps panty trying to catch our breath as I lay my warm face against the cool lab table as Edward sat on the lab stool with his head resting on my sweaty back. "That was better than I could have ever dreamed up or imagined it to be." He said as he placed gentle kisses along the length of my spine.

I groaned at the shivers his gentle simple kisses caused. "I like your idea of school better than I do mine. I have never had a lesson taught quite so well." I mumbled as my breath fanned the rose petals that lay scattered all around the table and floor. I had never in my life done anything like that before so he had shown me how fun it could be to experiment outside of the bedroom.

"It was my pleasure, but we only have about an hour left to get this place cleaned up and get out of here and onto the next surprise." He said as he placed a lingering kiss on my back.

I groaned but pushed myself up off the table anyways. "Okay, you know you don't have to do all of this for me, right? A simple date of dinner and the movies or a simple night at home would have been just fine although I have thoroughly enjoyed this trip down your memory lane." I told him as we slipped back into our clothes.

"I wanted our first date to be memorable and unique but I also wanted to let you see how long I have been affected by you. No matter how well I hid it or denied it." He explained as he tugged his shirt back over his head covering his impressive chest and sexy back tattoo up. "Plus staying in that house was no longer an option."

I smiled and sidled up against him. "You did all of that and more, handsome. Let's get this cleaned up so we can get on to the next surprise." I told him as I leaned up to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

About thirty minutes later we were walking hand in hand out the front doors of the school so we could get to our next destination, which I still didn't know what it was. "Where are we going?" I asked him as he drove us out of town.

"To a little sanctuary of mine just outside of Port Angeles." He said simply without a hint of a clue.

I groaned as I looked out the window at the passing scenery. "Fine. Does this memory involve me being the clueless teenager in love with the wrong brother also?" I asked because so far it had been memories that both of us had but I had misinterpreted at the time of them happening.

"No. This one is all mine that I'm sharing with you and only you." He said mysteriously as he turned onto a leaf covered road that had no signs or anything giving away where we were going besides a strand of Christmas lights that lined each side of the 'road'. I tried to take it all in as he parked the car in the gravel lot in front of a building that still gave no clues away. There were numerous cars in the parking lot though that instantly intrigued me even more because it seemed like a popular spot but there were no signs or anything.

"What is this place?" I asked Edward as we walked towards the building that was flanked by wooden flower boxes and potted plants that was scattered with lawn ornaments. I had no clue what awaited me inside but the outside had a homey and welcoming feeling to it.

He smiled and kept walking without saying a word until we got to the front door where I could hear people chattering on the other side of the thick wooden door. "I have been coming here to play since I first got my driver's license. It was my sanctuary away from everything; my feelings, you and Jasper, school drama, and just life in general." He explained as he cupped my face gently in his hands. "Nobody has ever come here to see me play, nobody that I know knows about this place but me and now you." He explained as he opened the door for me. "Welcome to the 'Middle of Nowhere', Isabella." Edward whispered lightly as he placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

"Is that the name of the place?" I asked as he led me into the restaurant that had a little stage set in the middle of a bunch of tables with mismatched chairs and people. I looked around and saw a variety of people in here; business men and women, construction workers, families, young and old.

He nodded as he grabbed my hand leading me to the piano that was center stage to the whole restaurant. "It is, an old woman by the name of Pearl owns this place and refuses to retire despite doctor's orders. She bought the piano just for me because she got tired of me dragging my keyboards in here every time I showed up." He said as he pulled out the piano bench, wiping it off before sitting down tugging me down beside him.

"Wow." I said softly as I continued to look around in astonishment as he lifted the lid off the keys and began tinkering with them playing a playful tune.

I jumped when a loud whistle sounded throughout the place and raised an eyebrow when Edward chuckled quietly shaking his head. "What's going on? Are we in trouble?" I asked him quietly as I scooted a little closer to his side.

"No, that's Pearl." He said with a kiss to the side of my head. "She knows I'm here."

"HEY EVERYBODY IT SEEMS MY BOY, EDWARD, HAS DECIDED TO GRACE US TONIGHT SO SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO HIM PLAY!" A woman shouted from somewhere but I couldn't tell where.

Edward laughed and immediately launched into a playful tune that I didn't recognize but caused everybody around us to go deathly quiet. I spied an elderly woman in tight leather pants, a poofy off the shoulder peasant shirt and braided gray pigtails heading our way with a huge smile on her face. Once Edward finished the playful tune the woman was right beside the piano. "Hey Pearl." Edward's smooth voice said as he stood to embrace the woman tenderly. "Looking good."

"You have been gone way too long, son." She said as she kissed him on the cheek. "Who's this lovely girl you brought with you tonight? I've never known you to bring anybody here before." She said with a crooked smile on her face.

He laughed as he sat back down wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "This is the girl I told you about all those years ago. Isabella, Ms. Pearl. Ms. Pearl, Isabella." He said introducing us.

"This is 'the one'?" Pearl asked as she came around to give me an impromptu hug.

I laughed nervously as I looked to Edward for clarification. "She is indeed. My dimwitted brother finally screwed up and I got my chance." He said softly.

Pearl just nodded. "That's good, son. You want the usual?" She asked as she kissed Edward on top of the head while I looked on in amusement at the blush that crept up on his cheeks.

Edward nodded. "Yes, please." He said as she walked off with a smile.

"The one?" I asked when we alone once again.

He nodded. "Yes, the one I couldn't have, the one that got away, the untouchable one, the one that was a secret, but most importantly the only one that I saw my future with." He explained as he placed a passionate kiss to my lips.


	9. Now 5

Sorry for the repost but a reader pointed out that I had switched up the colors of glitter between the first mention and the second mention. Just to clear up any and all confusion they are having twin boys.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Now**

"That's a lot to live up to, has he been able to do it?" Ashley asked me once I had finished recalling my first official date with Edward.

I smiled and nodded. "He has. I don't always need big dates like that and he knows that but he always makes the most mundane or simple situation into a special one." I explained with a huge smile on my face because it was honestly true. The man couldn't help himself, he was a romantic at heart and it came out in whatever situation we got ourselves into.

"If he knew you were the one all those years ago, why did you guys just get married this past summer?" Victoria asked with a side glance aimed at James, her long-time boyfriend.

I chuckled. "It seems like every time we set a date, something happened or came up. All the details will come out as I explain our story. We got engaged our first summer together but all that will be explained eventually, I promise." I explained because I didn't want to jump ahead of myself in the retelling of our story.

The entire class nodded in concession. "Okay, guy's class is almost over. Anybody have any questions about the paper due Tuesday?" I asked them as I hopped off my desk.

I spent the remaining few minutes answering the few questions that were asked before the bell rang. "Okay, you guys have a safe and fun weekend!" I called to them as they filtered out of the class. The rest of the day went by uneventfully as I prepared all of my classes for the semester tests they were taking next week.

During my lunch break, I looked up reveal party ideas on my phone before I texted Alice about throwing a little party on Sunday evening.

_Ali, do you and baby Alex feel up to getting out for a little bit on Sunday?_

_Sure, I am sick of looking at these walls. Need me to bring anything?_

_Nope just yourself, Jazz, Ari, and the baby; Edward can't wait to get his hands on him again._

_Okay, see you on Sunday. What time?_

_Round 3?_

_Sounds good to me. See you guys then._

I texted Rose, Sue, and Esme after Alice had said yes to see if everybody could make it on Sunday. With Carlisle and Esme living in Richmond, they needed advanced notice especially with the little ones.

Esme replied back immediately with a _Hell yes, we will be there! We will come in tomorrow sometime. The kids are excited to see their brothers and cousins. We were planning to come down in a few weeks anyways to meet baby Alex in person._

I laughed because no matter how angry Edward and Jasper had been at their mom having more kids in her 40's they loved their little brother and sister and doted on them whenever they got to see them. Despite the fact that we were only an hour and a half away from each other, we didn't see each other all that often because we were all so busy.

_Where you staying? _When they came down they never went back home the same day because little Brice did not like taking long road trips at all.

_Probably with Alice and Jasper to meet our newest grandchild but we will definitely come by and see you guys before Sunday though._

_Okay, sounds great. Have a safe drive._

I jumped up out of my chair and headed down the hall to Edward's classroom to let him know that everyone was coming on Sunday. I only had 10 minutes to spare before lunch was officially over and he had had a meeting with a parent so our usual lunch routine had been disrupted today. "Knock knock!" I called out as I walked through the open door to the band room/classroom.

"In here, sweetheart!" Edward called from his office.

I walked in and smiled at the sight of him sitting there with his reading glasses perched on his nose and the papers strewn all over his desk. "Having a rough time of it?" I asked him as I walked around his desk pushing his chair back from the desk so he could tug me down into his lap.

"Yeah, but it's all better now that you are here to distract me." He said as he kissed me on the lips gently.

I laughed and shook my head. "Not distracting, handsome. I just came to let you know that I talked with everybody and they are all agreeable to Sunday dinner. Esme, Carlisle, and the kids should be here some time tomorrow and are going to stay with Ali and Jazz." I told him as I draped my legs across the arm of his chair with my arms around his neck as I nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

He nodded. "I figured they would stay because poor Brice does not like long road trips. Remember when we all went on that drive tour in Hawaii back in March?"

I groaned. "God, please don't remind me. That poor baby started screaming after about twenty minutes in the car and never shut up the entire three hours we were in that car."

He chuckled. "It's kind of ironic because Jasper was the same way until he was almost five years old."

I just laughed as the warning bell rang out. "I guess that's my cue!"

I quickly high tailed it back to class just as my student's started strolling in the door. The rest of the school day was pretty uneventful as I went over study guide after study guide with my student's helping them prepare for semester tests that were next week. My Advanced English 12 class was the only ones getting out of a normal semester tests but were writing a huge paper instead. "Have a great weekend and be safe!" I called to my last students of the day before going and collapsing in my chair that I rarely used because I normally sat atop my desk if I wasn't wandering around the room or writing on the chalk board.

It had become habit to me since the very first day of me teaching to sit on top of my desk if I wasn't writing on the chalk board or showing something on the overhead. It allowed me to interact with my students without forcing my authority on them. I had never had any problems with it so far, and hoped I could continue that way. "Ready to go home, my love?" I heard from the doorway of my classroom.

I groaned as I spun around to face the voice. "Yes, take me home, my love."

The next morning I tugged on a floor length long sleeved dress and my flats before grabbing my keys and purse off the dresser and heading downstairs into the main floor of the house to find Edward. I was heading to the grocery store to buy everything we needed for tomorrow's dinner reveal party. "Do you need anything from town?" I asked him since he was sitting at his piano tinkering away. Once we made this our official residence and began our careers at Breaking Dawn I surprised Edward with the baby grand piano putting it the library where I often spent a lot of my time.

He never stopped playing. "No, but do you want me to come with you?" He asked as soft tones played gently in the background.

I shrugged my shoulders as I leaned against the door frame. "If you want to, you can."

"I think I will." He said as he stopped playing before closing the lid and standing up. "We can go pick nursery colors so I can get the rooms painted soon if you feel up to it." He said as he kissed me on the cheek.

I groaned as I grabbed his hand tugging him out the door and to my SUV that rarely got drove since he drove us to class in his old yet dependable Volvo every day. "I'm driving!" I chirped as I unlocked my ride and hopped behind the steering wheel before he could change his mind.

Standing in the paint aisle trying to pick nursery colors was frustrating because even though we knew we were having two boys, we didn't want traditional blue nurseries because that was just way over done. We wanted something unique for our babies. "Are we doing separate nurseries or just one?" Edward asked as he perused a book of samples.

I pulled out random colors before stuffing them back in frustration. "Now that we are having identical twins I think we need to do separate nurseries that the boys can grow into. Plus, we have the space for it." I told him.

He nodded as he showed me a page with an example of the paint color in a room setting and also the sample slip with name and code on it. "I like this one for one of the nurseries."

I smiled as I looked at the page. "I love it. It's perfect." I told him as I looked at the pirate themed bedding with the red and navy walls. "Okay, one down one to go." I told him as we now looked at the book together.

"What about this one?" He asked as he flipped back to the beginning of the book. It was a frog themed nursery with green and yellow walls; the top half was a sunny yellow with a white trim separating it from the grass green bottom portion.

I smiled and nodded. "It's perfect. Frogs and Pirates." I said as I plucked the exact matches of the paint samples so we could get them mixed.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

I smiled as I pulled dinner from the oven the following day. Alice, Rose, Esme, Sue, and I were scattered around the kitchen working on various tasks while the guys had all the kids either outside or in the living room playing. Rose and Alice were setting up the dining room so we would all be able to fit in there together. All of our mothers were doing every old wives tale they could think of to determine if Edward and I were having a girl or boy. They were currently on the Chinese Gender Chart. "You are 15 or 16 weeks pregnant, Bella?" Esme asked as she looked at something on her phone.

I smiled because they were all so excited for Edward and I because we were the last of them to have babies. "16 weeks and three days as of today. Why?" I asked as I pulled another pan of enchiladas from the oven.

"I need your conception month." She said as she tapped away on her phone.

I just chuckled as I tossed my oven mitts on the counter so I could finish with the salad I was fixing.

"Well, according to this you guys are going to have a boy." She said as she wrote something on the piece of paper in front of her. "So far, we have four for girl and seven for boy." She said as she began tapping on her phone again.

I just shook my head as I saw Edward poke his head in the kitchen door. "Isabella, may I borrow you for a few minutes?"

I smiled and nodded because I knew we were about to do our reveal out on the deck. We had decided to go with glitter filled balloons that we were going to give to everybody. We were going to give them two balloons each that signified we were having twins while one balloon would have green glitter the other would have blue to signify we were both boys. We were also handing them push pins to pop the balloons with. "Absolutely, dinner is almost done anyways." I told him as I walked his way.

He grabbed my hand tugging me into our bedroom where he had all the filled balloons stashed. "Are you going to hand out the balloons while I do the push pins?" I asked grabbing the box off the dresser.

He nodded and untied the balloons from our closet and bathroom doors. We had little balloons for the little kids and big balloons for the adults. "Sounds good. Meet you outside in 5?"

"Yep." I said as I danced towards him kissing him gently on the lips before sashaying out of the room. Everybody was really confused when I handed them a push pen and told them to head outside to the front porch because Edward was waiting out there to give them something.

Once everybody was gathered outside with their glitter filled balloons I began to let them in on the secret of our surprise. "Okay, so everybody thought we were going to the doctor this coming week to find out what we are having but a little detour to the ER the other night gave us an early glimpse. Everything is fine, just growing pains." I told everybody as I cupped my stomach gently to remind me that they were still there safe and sound. "I promise we are all fine but we did get to find out what we're having along with other surprises." I told them with a cheeky grin.

"What surprises?!" Was shouted at Edward and I from all our family and friends.

I just laughed as Edward pulled out the 'guess' board that everybody had written their names on when they first got here. "Okay, well on the final tally seven of you guys guessed that we are having a boy and the remaining eight guessed that we are having a girl." He said as he sat the board against the railing. "Now, you can all see that we have given you two balloons which holds confetti of the gender."

"Why do we have two balloons?" Charlie asked impatiently which caused everyone to chuckle and Sue to slap him playfully on the arm.

I shook my head at him because I hated surprises just as much as he did. "We gave you two balloons because we are having two babies!" I said loudly and was met with silence before chaos ensues but the funny thing is nobody popped a single balloon as congratulations went round and round.

"Don't you guys want to know what the babies are?" Edward asked pointing to all the unpopped balloons everybody was still holding.

"Oh!" All the ladies said and immediately stuck their push pins into their balloons effectively spraying everybody with green and blue glitter and confetti. "Green?" Esme asked curiously with a huge smile on her face. "Two boys?"

Edward and I both nodded as she rushed forward embracing all of us.

"It's about damn time we got a little more man power around here. Even though I wouldn't trade my little angels for anything." Charlie said as he strolled forward tugging me into his arms. "I love you, baby girl." He whispered in my ear.

"I love you too, daddy."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Monday morning came way too soon and before I knew it my Advanced English 12 class was strolling in with smiles on their faces. "What's up, guys? Are you all excited about tomorrow being your last day for two weeks?" I asked them once the bell had rung.

They all nodded and we chatted about what their plans for the holidays were as I pulled out their quiz for the day which caused them all to groan and pull out a sheet of paper and put everything else away. "Let's get this over with so we can get on with the story telling." I told them with a huge smile on my face.

"Okay!" They all said with as much enthusiasm as they could muster considering they were taking another quiz.

Once all the papers were collected I got up to walk around for a minute because my hips were hurting just a little bit. "Our first Christmas together was just a normal Christmas with presents, too much food, arguments over football teams, family and friends. It got a little tense when Jasper and Alice showed up on my dad's doorsteps Christmas afternoon…"


	10. Awkward Visit

**SURPRISE!**

* * *

Chapter 10

_Awkward visit_

The sound of Charlie's doorbell rang throughout the house interrupting our normal Christmas day noise.

"I'll get it!" Edward called out from the living room. He, Charlie, and Emmett were in the living room sprawled out on the floor playing dolls with Abby and Lizzy while Rose, Esme, and I were in the kitchen cleaning up after the huge meal we had eaten a little bit ago. This was fairly normal after Christmas dinner, Rose, Esme, Edward, and Jasper had been joining Charlie and I for major holidays for as far back as I can remember. This year, however, Jasper was absent for obvious reasons and we had added Emmett and his daughters to the mix. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at hearing Edward's voice. He and Charlie had gotten extremely comfortable around each other and Edward actually fit in better than Jasper ever did, now that I really thought about it. After a trip to town for beer, Charlie and Edward had gotten awfully friendly and the tension was no longer there.

I chuckled at the look Rose and Esme gave me. "What?" I asked them shrugging my shoulders in playful ignorance as I dried another plate before sticking it in the cabinet with the others.

"I've never seen him like this before." Esme said as she handed me a bowl to dry. "Or you for that matter. You are both giddy."

"I've never seen him like this before either but I'll take it. Don't take this the wrong way but I always thought he was a man whore with a chip on his shoulder but now I know differently." I admitted quietly which Rose agreed by nodding her head affirmatively.

Esme just raised an eyebrow at me in confusion. "My Edward? A man whore?" She said before a grin cracked her stony façade. "Never. That boy has been in love with you since you were kids. He's too much like his father to interfere in another person's relationship though." She said with a pat on my shoulder. "How are things going between you two?"

I shrugged. "You would think that things would be a bit weird because he is Jasper's brother but they're not. Edward and I just seem to click. We have gotten really close really quickly, though." I told her with a smile. "How are things going with Carlisle?" I asked her changing the subject onto her relationship and off of mine.

She ducked her head but not before I caught a glimpse of a blush creep up into her cheeks. "They're good. He's actually having Christmas dinner in Port Angeles with his daughter and her new fiancée." She said as she finally raised her head up to look at me and Rose. "I've never met her but I'm supposed to in the next few days. She's a little younger than you girls, maybe y'all can be friends or something."

"That's great. Maybe we can all get together for New Years' or something?" I suggested as I heard raised voices coming from the direction of the front door.

"What is going on?" Rose asked as we all quickly dried our hands before heading towards the raised voices.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw Jasper standing there with some short woman standing behind him with her head ducked and her hand tugging relentlessly on Jasper's as he stood toe to toe with his brother, my father, and Emmett. I knew that we had been having holiday dinners together since Jazz, Rose, and I were kids but I never dreamed that he would actually show his face this year and especially with the woman he had admitted to cheating on me with.

"STOP!" I screamed to the top of my lungs causing everybody to stop and look at me with shocked eyes because I hardly ever raised my voice and everybody knew it. I was known for being the calm, cool, and collected one out of our bunch.

"Jasper Michael Whitlock, what are you doing here?" Esme said as she stepped in front of him glaring daggers at him. "You have some audacity showing your face around here after the stunt you pulled back in Rhode Island."

He sighed and hung his head. "Ma, I know what I did was wrong but we're all family and it's Christmas. You've always taught us that the holidays are the time to forgive and be with family." He said quietly.

"Okay? I also raised you to be a gentleman and no gentleman cheats on his girlfriend. You should have had the balls to tell her and break up with her BEFORE moving on." She told him firmly as she put her hands on her hips. "You made your bed, now lay in it." She said as she shut the door in his face.

My jaw dropped at what she had done. "What?" She asked everybody when she noticed we were all looking at her with looks of shock on our faces. She just shrugged a shoulder as she headed back for the kitchen without a backwards glance.

I shook my head as I reached for my jacket that was hanging on the peg. "I'm gonna go talk to him. He's right, we are all family here. I completely get why you are all angry but this is between the two of us not the entire family." I told everybody as I reached for the door handle.

"I'm coming with you." Edward said as he quickly grabbed his jacket shrugging it on also.

I nodded as I opened the door. "Jasper!" I called out because he was opening the car door for the tiny woman that had been with him. "Wait!"

Edward grabbed my hand as we walked to where he was parked at the road's edge. "Let's do this together, baby." He whispered as he placed a kiss against the side of my head. "That's Alice, by the way."

"Okay handsome." I told him as we walked hand in hand to where Jasper and the tiny woman stood. "Jazz, want to introduce us?" I asked as Edward and I came to a stop a few feet in front of them.

"Bella-" He acted like he wanted to apologize again and I didn't want any part of that. What was done couldn't be undone and no amount of apologizing was going to change that. Plus, we had both obviously moved on so there was no need for apologies in my opinion.

I shook my head. "I don't want to hear it Jazz. Apologies won't fix or change anything. Introduce us so we can all move forward or get in your car and leave. Those are your options." I told him flatly.

He sighed and grabbed the woman's hand. "Bella this is Alice Cullen. Alice, this is Bella, my oldest and closest friend and you've already met my brother Edward." He said as he motioned between us all. I noticed that he left out that I was also his ex-girlfriend which I was sure she already knew since she is the one that gave him the ultimatum.

"Hi Alice, it's nice to finally put a face to the name." I told her honestly as I politely offered my hand for her to shake. My ill will was towards Jasper, not her. From what I understood when they first started dating she had no idea about me until a few weeks before she gave him the ultimatum.

She cautiously grabbed my hand and shook it as a small smile graced her face. "You are lovely, Bella, and I know you don't want to hear any more apologies but I am sorry for the way things came about but I have to say you look radiant and happy." She said as she shook my hand before reaching for Edward's hand giving it a firm shake. "Nice to see you again, Edward."

"Thanks, Alice, you two look happy also and thanks for the apology. I will take it graciously this time but let's all just move forward with our lives." I told her as I leaned into Edward's side as he unconsciously wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

I saw Jasper's eyes go wide as realization dawned in them. "You finally confessed your feelings didn't you, brother?" He sneered. Before I realized what was happening I reached forward slamming the palm of my hand against the side of cheek shocking us all.

"Don't be such an ass Jasper, at least he waited until I was single. Unlike you." I snapped at him as Edward took my sore hand into his while Jasper just looked at me in shock. "You really don't want to get into this right now. You had no right to make decisions about me. Then or now." I snapped angrily.

"Yes, Jasper I finally told her how I felt even though I should have done it ages ago but I held back because of the way I was raised. When did your happiness become more important than hers?" Edward asked so softly it was almost scary.

Jasper hung his head. "I know and I should have just broken it off when I realized I didn't see a future together but I didn't know how. We had been together for so long, I was scared I was going to lose my best friend." He admitted lowly. "Just so you two are aware I asked Alice to be my wife this morning and she said yes." He whispered softly to the ground.

I snapped my eyes up and narrowed them because after all those years together he had never even hinted at wanting to get engaged or married and they are together for less than six months when he proposes. "Come again?" I asked quietly. I wasn't jealous or anything. It was more like I was pissed off at how quickly they were moving. It made me feel like the entire last six years had been wasted on bullshit.

"We're getting married on New Year's and would like for all of you to be there to witness it. You are all Jasper's family and we both want all of you there despite his recent actions." Alice said quietly causing both mine and Edward's jaws to drop and our eyes to go huge as we looked at each other in amazement.

"You're what?" "This New Year's?" Edward and I both asked at the same time.

Jasper sighed while Alice just nodded. "Yes, we are getting married in 7 days and we would like you all there. I know it's a big surprise but it's just going to be a simple ceremony at the same church I was christened at when I was a baby in Seattle." She explained.

"That's great, Alice. I'm truly happy for you guys." I told her with as much happiness and excitement as I could muster, which wasn't much right now because I was still trying to process that this tiny woman had managed to accomplish in just a few months what I hadn't been able to do in years. It made me feel tiny and insecure and I didn't like it one bit. "I can't promise anything but we will talk it over and let you guys know. Where are you staying at so we can send word?" I told her honestly because I couldn't commit to anything right then and there.

She sighed but nodded anyways. "We're going to be staying at a hotel in Seattle so we can finalize the plans. We came to Port Angeles to have dinner with my dad while his girlfriend is having dinner with some old friends of hers." She told me as she leaned into Jasper's side for comfort. Something about everything that I had found out in the last little bit started to click in my head and two plus two finally became four.

"Is your dad's name Carlisle, perhaps?" I asked her as Edward gasped and looked around at all of us curiously.

"Ma's Carlisle?" Edward breathed out in a shocked voice.

I nodded as did Alice. "Yes, why? Do you know him?" Alice asked curiously.

Edward and I both nodded. "Yeah, I believe he's dating mine and Jasper's mother." Edward said with a hateful look at Jasper.

"He's what?!" Jasper shouted as he looked back and forth between me, Edward, and Alice confused.

Edward and I nodded. "Blonde hair, brown eyes, early 30's? I didn't know he had a daughter old enough to be in college though." Edward said giving a brief description of the Carlisle we had met a few days ago.

Alice nodded and smiled. "Yeah, he and my mom had me when they were only 15 so yeah that sounds like him. We were supposed to meet his girlfriend tomorrow."

"My mom is dating your dad?" Jasper asked turning to face Alice.

She shrugged because she didn't really know for certain. "I'm not certain but it sure seems like it. She seems to make him happy though." She said with a sweet smile.

I nodded. "They seemed really happy the other day at lunch."

Jasper shook his head as he headed for the house again I assumed to talk to Esme but I figured considering her earlier reaction to him it wasn't his brightest idea. "Jazz, wait!" I called out to him as I ran after him. I caught his arm just as his hand reached for the door handle.

"Let me go, Bella. Please." He begged me softly. "I need to talk to her."

I shook my head as I tugged him off the porch and back to the car they were driving. "Not today. It's Christmas, Jasper, don't ruin this anymore than you already have. I understand that you are happy with Alice and I am with Edward now and we are happy but the way you did things was wrong and we all know it. You need to give your mom some space and time. I am sure she will be at lunch or whatever tomorrow. Let her come to you on her own terms don't force it upon her, you know as well as I do that she will react badly." I told him as I pulled him to a stop at the yards edge.

"You're right. You're always right, Bella. I just want everybody to be friends again and for everybody that means something to me to accept and love Alice as much as I do." He told me softly.

I nodded as I pulled him into a hug, wrapping my arms around his back. "Give it time, Jazz. She's truly lovely. I am happy for you but we all just need a little time." I told him as I pulled back kissing him on the cheek. I was mildly surprised that I felt nothing when I hugged him and kissed his cheek. Not anger. Not passion. Nothing.

"Okay. Thanks Bella." He said as he let go of me and took Alice's hand again. "We hope to see you there. The ceremony is New Years' Day at ten o'clock that morning. I will text you guys the details when we get back to Seattle." He said as he shook Edward's hand before reaching for the car door.

"Okay, have a safe drive back. It was nice to meet you, Alice, and congratulations." I told them as she slid into the car.

"It was nice to finally put faces to names I've heard so much about. Merry Christmas!" She chirped with a tiny wave.

I laughed as I wrapped my arm around Edward's waist. "Merry Christmas to you guys too!" Edward and I both called back just before Jasper shut his door.

We stood out there until they disappeared from sight. "Well, that wasn't awkward at all." I said as I tugged Edward down the street for a short walk so I could process everything I had just learned. It was a lot. "Take a walk with me?" I asked softly as I tugged my gloves from my jacket pocket because my fingers were freezing.

He nodded but tugged my gloves from my hand. "I will follow you anywhere, Isabella. I promise you that." He said as he cupped my face in his sealing our lips together passionately. We hadn't been together since our date at the high school a few days ago and it was starting to show in our touches and glances. Rose had told me earlier that you could cut our sexual tension with a knife it was so thick and obvious in whatever room we were cooped up in.

"Is your old house still vacant?" I whispered against his lips as my fingers flexed in his hair as I tried to get control of my body that seemed to go haywire with just a simple touch from him.

He smirked and nodded. "Yes, for six more days. Why, my horny girl? Want to break in my old bedroom after all these years?" He asked as he placed gentle nipping kisses along my neck and behind my ear.

"Yes." I breathed out and before I realized what was happening he had tossed me over his shoulder playfully and began running down the street to his old house.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

A few hours later, I stared down into the most amazing green eyes I had ever seen and thought I could get lost in them. "You frighten me, you know?" I whispered as my hair made a curtain around our heads as I sat straddled across his waist while he lay in the middle of his old bedroom floor.

"Why?" He asked as he raked his short nails down my back causing me to hiss out and arch into him even further. He was still hard inside me but I was refusing to move to prolong this for us. This was round three for us so it wasn't going to be quick by any means anyways.

"Because I don't know what is going to happen when we get back home and this past week has been absolutely amazing for me but I don't know what it has meant to you." I rambled honestly.

He sighed and stretched an arm out for his pants that lay in a pile beside us. "What are you doing?" I asked curiously as I sat back, causing him to sink all the way into me causing both of us to exhale loudly that sounded more like a hiss.

"Getting this." He said as he laid back flat, tugging me back down over him so that my palms were flat on the ground on either side of his head with our faces just mere inches apart. "This is not how I wanted to do this. I was going to do it tomorrow morning when we first woke up but I guess now is just as perfect as we can't become anymore joined than we are now." He rambled as he fingered a small maroon box.

"Edward…" I trailed off because if that was an engagement ring then I honestly didn't know what I would say to him.

He shook his head. "It's not an engagement ring, Isabella, so stop freaking out." He said with a smirk.

I took a deep breath which caused him to hiss loudly. "Okay."

He pulled the lid off the box and dumped out a small blue velvet box. "It is a ring but it's a Claddagh ring instead of an engagement ring. It symbolizes love, loyalty, and friendship." He explained as he tugged the beautiful ring from the box as he suddenly sat up causing me to slip back down on him fully which caused him to close his eyes and groan as he gripped me tightly to his chest and me throw my head back as his hip bone hit me right where I needed the friction at.

"Oh God." I moaned out as I brought my head forward burying it in his shoulder as I rotated my hips unconsciously.

His hands gripped my hips helping my movements. "Do you want to come for me first, Isabella?" He whispered huskily in my ear which caused me to grip his hips with my legs and shake my head.

"No, but I don't know how to stop it." I moaned out in agony as I felt the coil in my stomach tighten.

He just chuckled. "It's okay, baby, come for me then I will make you mine in more ways than one." He said as he began lifting me up and down on his hard shaft which slid my hardened soaked nub against his hip bone with every movement.

I was powerless to stop the orgasm that gripped onto me and took me for a ride that was unlike anything I had ever been on before. It was amazing as the fireworks exploded within me causing me to slump on his form like a lazy sloth sun bathing in the rare beam of sunshine. "I'm so-"

"Don't you dare apologize for that, Isabella. It had been coming for over twenty minutes and neither one of us could have stopped it even if had we tried." He said as tugged my legs out from behind him so he could lay back down with me sprawled lazily on top of him as he still throbbed hard within my slick pulsating walls. "I'm not gonna be far behind you if you don't stop that soon." He said as he gripped my hips pushing our hips firmly together with not even a millimeter of space between our bodies.

"I can't stop it." I breathed out helplessly. "I want to be yours." I whispered in his ear honestly. "Please make me yours." I begged him hopelessly.

He nodded as he slipped something on my right ring finger. "You are mine, Isabella, from now until forever." He whispered against my ear. "Just like I am yours from now until forever, and this is what symbolizes that." He said as he twisted my ring around my finger and his other hand placed my fingers around a necklace that I had questioned him about earlier but he put me off telling me he would explain later.

"What do they mean?" I asked quietly as I rubbed his necklace between my fingers gently.

He twirled my ring with one hand and wrapped the other around my hand that gripped his necklace. "They both represent love, loyalty, and friendship. The way your ring is turned on your right hand means that you are in a relationship with someone." He explained softly.

I couldn't stop the tears that sprung to my eyes any more than I could control the orgasm that had ripped my body to shreds at the wrong moment. "Oh, Edward. I think I love you." I cried into his shoulder.

He chuckled as he let go of my hand wrapping his arms around my back, hugging me tightly. "Silly girl, I love you so damn much, I don't need to think about it. I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to. I promise you that."

I nodded as I wrapped my arms around his neck holding on for dear life as my sobs caused me to bounce lightly on him which quickly caused me to go from sobbing to gasping in just a few short moments. "You are amazing, you know that." I whispered as I raised my hips just to slam them back down against his.

He shook his head. "No, you are the amazing one, Isabella." He said as he raised his hips off the floor meeting mine as I brought them back down. "I love you, baby." He whispered as he gripped my hips to hold them still as he pounded into me relentlessly riding his own orgasm out and effectively making me his.

"I love you too, Edward Anthony." I whispered just before I felt my own body clench down again in another amazing orgasm.

It was well after dark before we made it back to Charlie's but nobody said a word as we walked in through the front door hand in hand with smiles on our faces. "It's about time you two decided to show back up. We've been waiting to watch 'Jingle All The Way' until you guys got back. The girls are getting very impatient." Rose said with a smirk on her face from her position in between Emmett's legs as she sat in the floor playing with Abby. Charlie had Lizzy snuggled in his lap with her pink Dora blanket tossed over them as she played with the edges of his mustache.

"Sorry. Time got away from us. We've been over at our old house." Edward explained as he hung our jackets up.

Esme nodded as she got up to put the disc into the player so we could start the movie. "I saw you guys walking in that direction after Jasper left so I figured that's where you were hiding out talking things over." She said with a wink causing me to groan and shake my head.

"Yeah, we had a lot of things to talk about." I said as I pushed Edward to sit on the opposite end of the couch than Emmett before settling into his lap because I wasn't ready to break that connection yet and also so Esme could have a place to sit.

Charlie just huffed as he looked at the couch. "Looks like I'm gonna have to buy some more furniture." He mumbled as he pressed play on the remote to start the movie. This was part of our Christmas tradition though the movie has changed over the years. Maybe one day Carlisle, Jasper, and Alice could join us.

"So….are we all going to this wedding shindig or not?" Rose asked as we sat in our old tree house where no boys were allowed even though I think both of us broke that rule a few times when we were teenagers but it was the spot where we had always been able to be truthful and honest to each other and work through all our problems at.

I shrugged my shoulders as I leaned against the tree that ran up the middle of the structure. "I don't know. I honestly just don't know. I just don't want to have any regrets later on and I don't want Edward to have any regrets in the future because of me." I told her honestly as I picked at the peeling paint of the tree house.

"Why would Edward have regrets because of you?"

"Because he said if I'm not going then he isn't going either."

She laughed. "That's just stupid because you guys have only been together two weeks and that is his brother."

I sighed and nodded in agreement. "I know, Rose, and that is almost verbatim to what I told him when he informed me of his decision."

"It's crazy how much we think alike. I think we should go because we have all been the best of friends for over ten years now and I know that we will get back there some day. All of this stupidity and bullshit will blow over eventually." She said as she nudged me with her shoulder.

I chuckled and nodded. "I know but the hurt part of me wants to tell him to shove his happily ever after straight up his ass while the best friend part of me wants to go celebrate his happiness."

She just laughed. "Why don't we all go and you can still tell him that?"

I laughed and nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Are we going to drive into Seattle tomorrow morning or tonight and just find a room to stay in?" I asked her, hoping she would say tonight because I wanted to go out and have some fun before Edward had to head back to Rhode Island for school.

"Let's go ask the guys and see what they say." She said as she started climbing out of the too small enclosure.

I just laughed as we walked in through the back door. "You know we're going to Seattle tonight, right?" I asked her as we headed for the living room.

She just smiled and nodded.

"I want to go dancing." I pleaded with Edward as he lay sprawled across our hotel room bed in his unbuttoned jeans and nothing else. "It's New Years' Eve!"

We had torn the place apart as soon as the door shut behind us earlier only to order room service a little bit later because our energy had been zapped. Edward had tugged only his jeans on leaving them unbuttoned to answer the door when room service had knocked on it with our burgers and milkshakes. "I am a terrible dancer, Bella." He said without budging. "We can have so much more fun here."

I just giggled as I bounced on the bed. My feet were on either side of his hips and I was wearing nothing but his button up shirt he had had on earlier. "I have seen you dance before and you are not that terrible. Please?" I said as I sat down on his thighs sticking my bottom lip out and batting my eyelashes giving him my best pouty look.

He groaned as he raised up on his elbows. "Isabella…" He said softly.

I just giggled and popped a button loose on the shirt exposing a little more skin. "I will make it worth your while when we get back." I said as I popped yet another button loose exposing my bare breasts and stomach since only four buttons were done up to begin with.

"What about before we leave?" He asked as he slid his hands onto my bare thighs before sliding around to my butt tugging me forward onto his erection that was straining against his zipper.

"If you say yes then I will say yes." I told him as I looped my arms around his neck grinding my hips against his.

"Yes." He whispered as he scooted back on the bed causing his jeans to slip down some and his erection to slip out. Without missing a beat I slid against him causing him to slip inside me.

"Yes." I said as I arched my back when he began pounding into me from underneath.

A little bit later I was wearing the one shirt that I had told Rose that she had lost her mind when she insisted I buy it and also again when she had tucked it into my suitcase. Now Edward was the one saying I wasn't going to wear it and I was saying yes. "NO!" He said as he shook his head sinking his fingers into his hair tugging lightly. Seemed we were ready to have our first argument.

"YES!" I told him which caused his eyes to jerk immediately to mine because that simple word is why we were late meeting up with Rose and Emmett.

He shook his head again. "Isabella, please baby reconsider. I'm not going to be able to form a coherent thought much less remember how to dance all night knowing you aren't wearing a bra under that thing you call a shirt." He said as he stood to pace the length of the room.

I just laughed. "It is a shirt. It's not going to fall off. It's not going to expose me in any way. And I'm yours from now until forever, remember." I whispered the last part as I stood on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his pouting lips.

"From now until forever." He said as he slid his hands onto my bare back and under the edges of my shirt as he pulled me firmly against his chest causing me to groan.

I pushed away from him which caused us both to groan and laugh. "Let's go." I told him as I grabbed my jacket. I had stashed all my important things with him in his wallet earlier since my jeans were so tight I was scared my money and license would fall out and my shirt offered no storage opportunities what so ever.

We were only out for about thirty minutes when I realized that Edward was right; we could have so much more fun in our hotel room. I quickly texted Rose and Emmett telling them about our change of plans only to learn that they too had decided to abandon the night out and instead had bribed their way into the hotel's private sauna room. "Hey, doesn't this hotel have an indoor pool?" I asked as we neared the hotel we were staying at.

He nodded as he held open the door for me. "It does, but I think it closes at ten." He said as we stepped into the expansive lobby.

"Think we could get them to open it for us for a few hours?" I asked as I nipped at his earlobe as I rubbed my hardened nipple against his side. I was extremely turned on and I was wasn't going to deny it because I had never felt this brazen before and I kind of liked it.

He gulped audibly and nodded as he steered us towards the desk where the obviously young and bored hotel clerk sat checking her phone. "Can I help you?" the young girl asked batting her eyelashes at Edward.

I just rolled my eyes as I turned around leaning back against the counter, allowing my jacket to fall open exposing my shirt, hard nipples, and sliver of stomach to Edward's greedy eyes.

Edward glanced over at me before closing his eyes and swallowing visibly. "How much would it take to get us into the indoor pool for say three hours?" Edward asked as he leaned on the counter.

I decided to be daring so I reached over and played with the button and zipper of his now tight jeans while he tried to schmooze the night clerk. I tuned out their conversation as I focused on him completely. Before I knew what was happening he had me thrown over his shoulder as he headed down a hallway away from the elevators. "You got it?" I asked excitedly from my upside down position over his shoulder.

"Of course. We have five hours since it opens to the hotel at 6, we have to be out by four." He explained as he opened one half of a set of metal double doors.

I laughed as he raced forward suddenly and before I knew it, I was flying then sinking. He had ran straight into the pool, clothes, phones, shoes, and all. It was a night that we would both remember for a long time to come. It was a hell of a way to ring in the New Year but it was extremely fun to ring it in joined with Edward heart and body.

* * *

**Good surprise? Review and let me know what you think! Please?**


	11. Now 6

Here you go...

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**Chapter 11**

**Now**

"Do you still wear the ring now that you two are married?" Mary Beth asked as I finished that day's story.

I nodded and tugged the chain that usually stayed tucked under my shirts these days. "I do. I normally wear it on the same finger that Edward put it on but since I got pregnant my fingers have swollen so it is too tight. Usually a Claddagh ring can be used as a promise ring, engagement ring, and wedding ring but Edward bought me new ones for each of those occasions." I told her as I tugged the necklace over my head so I could show them the ring. I hopped off the desk handing the ring to her.

"Oh, it's beautiful, Mrs. Masen." She said before passing it on to the next person. "Does Mr. M's necklace look exactly like your ring?" she asked curiously. I laughed and shook my head because mine had diamonds for the hands and crown and my birthstone for the heart.

"No, not at all. His is actually set in an Irish cross with Celtic knots surrounding it." I explained.

The entire class nodded. "That's so cool. Did he just randomly pick them or are one of you of Irish descent?" Victoria asked.

"Edward's dad actually moved to the states with his parents when he was four years old."

"Have you ever been to Ireland?" Justin asked quietly from the back of the class. I was actually surprised he wasn't taking advantage of story time to catch a nap.

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, our second summer together we spent a bit of time over there. That will turn up in the story eventually. Do you any of you have any final questions about the paper that is due tomorrow?" I asked them as I watched the minutes tick down.

I answered a few menial questions before the bell rang announcing the end of the period. "See you guys tomorrow." I called to them as they filtered out the door.

That evening and night, Edward and I were camped out in separate rooms as we finalized our semester tests that we would be giving tomorrow. "This is the one thing I hate about teaching." Edward complained as he came into the room with disheveled hair.

I couldn't help but laugh at him because he was wearing his plaid pajama bottoms, no shirt, and his bright blue fuzzy house shoes that he had gotten from Susie because he always complained of his feet being cold. "I know, you wish they could all just do a showcase and pass but it's not that easy." I told him yet again. We went through this every time semester tests came around.

He nodded as he flopped down on the couch beside me. "I know but it doesn't mean I can't gripe about it with you. You are my wife and have to love me no matter what." He said cheekily.

I tossed my head back in laughter. "What was the reasoning last school year when you complained every single time a big test came around? Or the two years before that?" I asked tucking his on either side my legs as I massaged his cold feet trying to warm them up a little bit.

"You had agreed to be my fiancée, Isabella. Taking all of my complaining and griping in stride comes with that agreement. Right?" He asked with a raised eyebrow in my direction.

I just laughed at his reasoning. "Right indeed, husband, right indeed."

"I'm hungry. Are you and the children in the mood for Chinese tonight?" He asked changing the subject from my acceptance of his faults along with his abilities to food, which was never far from my mind since I had gotten pregnant.

My stomach growled right on cue because that did sound really good. I nodded. "Yep, you going to get it or getting it delivered?"

"Delivery." He said as he wiggled his bright blue feet.

I just laughed as I sat my stack of tests aside so I could cuddle into his side. "Good, I want…"

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Edward asked as he wiped a damp cloth across the back of my neck.

I nodded as I wiped a different cloth across my mouth to wipe away the remnants of my Mr Tso's chicken I had devoured less than an hour ago. "I'll be fine." I snapped as I felt another rumble causing me to bury my head in the toilet yet again. I felt bad because I knew that he was just concerned about me but I didn't feel like reassuring him when I was retching up the contents of my stomach.

"Well, I guess Chinese is off the list for the next several months." Edward said as he rinsed out the cloth again to cool it off as I sat huddled over the toilet. I had been here for almost an half an hour now throwing up everything I had eaten for dinner and probably lunch too.

I nodded as I glared at my stomach. "Mama is so mad at you two right now. I love Chinese food and you guys are going to have to get over it sooner or later." I told my stomach as I ran a cool cloth across my face before handing it to Edward so he could swap it out.

Edward smartly kept his mouth shut as he squatted down in front of me as I leaned back against the wall in front of the toilet. "Do you want to try and go lay down? You haven't thrown up for a whole ten minutes this time."

I groaned and nodded. "Yeah, I need to finish reviewing those tests." I told him as he stood up offering his hands down to me.

"Okay, you go lay down and I will bring your stack to you."

Without another spoken word I headed upstairs for our bedroom as he headed for the living room. I don't know if I fell asleep quickly, he took his sweet time gathering my papers, or just forgot to bring them to me but I was asleep before he ever got back upstairs and the next time I blinked open my eyes sunlight was streaming in through the windows. "Edward!" I screeched out as I reached beside me to shake him awake thinking we were running late for school. My hand encountered nothing but cool sheets and empty space. "EDWARD!" I screamed out again because now I was extremely worried at my missing husband because I was always the first one up.

"What's wrong?" He asked frantically as he suddenly appeared in the doorway with a tray of food.

"What time is it?" I asked him as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"Almost 6:30, I was just about to come wake you up for breakfast." He said as he sat the tray on top of my legs.

I looked at the strawberry cream cheese slathered strawberry bagels topped with dill pickles that had quickly become a favorite of mine in the past few months. "I love you, handsome." I told him as I picked up a slice of bagel before dipping it into the scrambled eggs he had stuck on my plate also.

He groaned as he got up from the bed. "I love you too but your food combinations have gone completely wacky the past few weeks." He said as he headed into the bathroom.

I just laughed as I finished the delicious breakfast he had fixed for me, including the huge glass of milk to wash it all down. We arrived to school with less than five minutes to spare. The morning was a boring and quiet time as my students concentrated and got frustrated over the tests that were given to them. I breathed a sigh of relief as my Advanced English 12 students strolled in with huge smiles on their faces. "Hey, guys." I called to the group that had just strolled in with their papers in their hands.

"Good morning, Mrs. Masen." They called out softly as they handed me their papers before going to their seats. By the time the bell rang I had a room full of anxious students and a stack of papers that I would have to grade over the two week Christmas break.

"Morning class." I called to them all as I crossed my legs Indian style atop my desk. I was in leggings, long striped shirt, and cardigan today as it was the last day before break and we were allowed to dress comfortably. "Why so glum?" I asked them after everybody had settled down. "Sarah? Nichole? Mary-Beth? Come on guys, why is nobody excited about not having to come to school for two weeks?" I asked my entire class because not a single one of my normally vibrant and outspoken seniors had a smile on their face.

Victoria finally sighed loudly before speaking up. "We are all a little bummed that we won't get to hear this amazing and unique story for two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to not have to get up so early for two weeks but I am also going to miss hearing this unique love story every day. Listening to yours and Mr. M's real life story is better than reading the latest Nicholas Sparks book or watching the equally catchy and romantic movies."

I chuckled as I wiggled around a bit on top of my desk trying to get more comfortable. I was grateful that I could still sit up there with me being pregnant with twins. I just knew that my stomach was going to get really big really fast and then grow even bigger after I thought it couldn't possibly grow anymore. If I was totally honest, I was a little worried about gaining a lot of weight with this pregnancy because I wasn't one to work out or watch what I eat. I had never had to, I could eat what I wanted when I wanted and still remained in the same size pants I had worn since I was 18 years old. "Don't be so glum. We will pick back up the first day back from Christmas Break. Perk up, we're going to be on vacation for two whole weeks!" I said excitedly and watched as life seemed to seep back into my normally vibrant students.

After a few minutes, Mary Beth was literally fidgeting in her seat so I knew she had something she was barely able to contain. "Mary Beth, do you have something you need to tell us?" I asked her with a smile.

She nodded. "We all pitched in and bought you a baby gift from our class." She said excitedly shocking me because I honestly didn't expect her to say that.

"You guys didn't have to do that." I told them as tears sprung to my eyes.

The entire class chuckled. "We're not really doing anything. You are." Nichole explained as she pulled a small gift wrapped present from her backpack and brought it up to me.

I quickly tore off the wrapping paper much to their amusement and was astonished at the beautiful leather bound journal that said had 'Our story…from now until forever.' engraved on the front. I had explained the significance of that simple little phrase that they often heard Edward and I say to one another before parting ways. It was our unique way of saying 'I love you' without using those exact words.

"This is beautiful, you guys." I told them as I flipped it open and found the few stories I had told them written down in the same detail I had told them. "How did you…" I asked as I flipped page after page filled with mine and Edward's story that I had told them so far.

"I've been recording you on my phone and we are all taking turns translating it into your story in the journal." Mary Beth explained shyly. "We kind of need the journal back so we can finish it though." She said with a blush to her cheeks.

I smiled and nodded. "That is incredibly sweet, guys. Thank you so much." I told the entire class as I closed the journal with the leather ties before handing it back to Nichole.

"We will give it back before graduation so your baby's can have a personal recount of their amazing parents' love story." Ashley explained quietly from her seat.

I nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, well I guess we better get on with the story then, huh?" I asked them which caused them all to nod eagerly.

"You left with Mr. M tossing you in the pool fully clothed." Victoria said excitedly without being prompted about where we had left off at.

I laughed and nodded. "That was a fun night but the next day brought about some sort of revelation for a bunch of us…."


	12. Weddings and Goodbyes

_**Sorry folks, seems posting new chapters from my phone is not a good idea. Here is the real chapter 12. Thank you so much to the two reviewers that were nice enough to point this problem out to me.**_

**Chapter 12**

**Weddings and Goodbyes**

"Are you sure you are okay with this?" Edward asked as we walked hand in hand down the hall of the church to the groom's quarters where Jasper was getting ready at. Edward was dressed in a purple button up shirt that was tucked into his dark wash jeans with the top button undone. I was dressed in a simple purple wrap dress that was elegant yet simple. I had it paired with my bangle bracelets, Claddagh ring, and skeleton key necklace while my hair was pulled back and tied at the base of my neck.

I nodded as I reached out to knock on the door. "Yep. We've both moved on. Albeit he moved on quicker than me but that doesn't really matter in the end." I told him just as the door opened to reveal Jasper who looked to be a nervous mess. "I just have to put everything aside and concentrate on the fact that we've been friends for years."

He smiled broadly as his eyes glassed over. "You came." He whispered just as tears started to fall down his cheeks.

"Of course we came. You and I have been friends for over ten years and I couldn't not see one of my best friends get married to the girl of his dreams. Besides slapping you the other day allowed me to release some of my anger." I told him with a small smile. "Why aren't you dressed? You are getting married in twenty minutes!" I told him as I noticed he wasn't completely dressed yet.

"I wasn't sure if I could go through with it if none of my family showed up. You guys are my family. You, Rose, Ma, Charlie, and Edward." He said as he shook hands with Edward before tugging us into the tiny room.

I just laughed. "I don't know Alice that well yet but I don't think she would go for that." I told him as I shoved him behind what I presumed was a changing screen. "Get dressed." I told him firmly as Edward tugged me into his arms rocking us gently side to side.

"I love you, Isabella." He whispered right against my ear. "From now until forever."

I leaned back against his chest as I beamed up at him. "I love you too, handsome, from now until forever." I told him as I met his lips halfway for a gentle kiss.

"You guys are perfect together. I should have realized that years ago and saved us all the heartache and trouble. I was so selfish and I realize that now. I'm so sorry." Jasper said as he stepped around the curtain fully dressed in his suit and tie.

"Thanks, bro. That means a lot. Let's get you married, huh?" Edward said as he wrapped his arm around Jasper's shoulder.

Jasper nodded as I followed them out of the room and back into the hallway. "Will you stand up with me?" I heard Jasper ask Edward as we neared the grand hall. Edward just squeezed Jasper's shoulder as he nodded.

The wedding was simple yet beautiful as they read their vows to one another while Esme and Edward stood up with them with smiles on their faces. I don't think there was a dry eye in the whole church when the minister announced them husband and wife.

I pulled Jasper into a hug as he and Alice walked down the aisle. "Congratulations, Jazz. Just be happy, okay?" I whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.

"Thanks, BB." He said with tears in his eyes as he reverted back to his childhood name for me. "I will do my best if you do the same."

I smiled and nodded as I hugged Alice too. "Congratulations, Alice, he really is a terrific guy with honorable intentions. Most of the time." I whispered in her ear.

She nodded as she hugged me lightly. "Thanks for being here Bella, it means the world to both of us." She said quietly. "I hope we can be great friend's one of these days."

"Maybe in time." I whispered as I nodded once again before stepping back into my pew so they could continue on down the aisle.

"What was that about?" Rose hissed in my ear.

I chuckled. "Taking a step towards forgiveness." I said shrugging my shoulders as I took Edward's offered hand and walked down the aisle with him following behind Esme and Carlisle.

"Did I hear correctly?" Edward asked once we stepped out into the sunshine.

I smiled and nodded. "Yep, why hold a grudge when we are both happier than ever with other people? It's not fair to hold a grudge against him and let go of all those years of friendship when I am now dating his brother." I told him as I turned and pressed my dress clad form tightly against his sexy and firm chest. "That could be seen as worse than him cheating on me."

"I love you, sweet girl." He said as he reached back and touched the ring that now proudly graced my right ring finger as I reached forward with my left hand and gripped his necklace.

"I love you too." I whispered quietly as I kissed his lips gently. "From now until forever."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"What time is your flight?" I asked Edward as I wrapped the towel around me before tucking it between my breasts.

He smiled sadly at me as he climbed from the bathtub with a groan and grimace. "1 o'clock this afternoon." He said as he wrapped the towel around his waist.

"Feeling old?" I teased him as I dug my toothbrush from my toiletry bag.

He smacked me on the butt causing me to yelp and jump in surprise at the contact. "No, I'm not feeling old. My back hurts from when we crashed that table to the floor last night."

I just laughed as we got ready for the day. We had plans to go spend the day around town, playing the tourists for a few hours before his flight since neither of us has ever been on top of the space needle or done the other touristy things. "I didn't think it would break so easily." I told him as I spit out my toothpaste before shooting a cocky grin in his direction.

He just shook his head as he started brushing his teeth. "I didn't either, baby, it is worth a little pain though because that was absolutely amazing."

"It was." I said as a blush crept up to color my cheeks.

Once we were dressed and his things were packed we left the hotel hand in hand.

"I didn't think it would be this hard." I laughed as I wiped the tears from my cheeks as we stood in the middle of the airport saying goodbye. "We've only been together a few weeks and we will be together again in less than a week."

He laughed as he tugged me against his chest. "It's just for four days, my love. I will meet you at the airport on Friday, okay?"

I nodded against his chest just as boarding announcement announcing that his plane was boarding sounded throughout the airport. "Can I stay at your place on Friday? I don't want to be away from you." I asked him quietly.

"I thought we would stay at your house instead. I have two very obnoxious roommates that won't give us a lick of privacy." He said quietly.

I pulled back from in surprise. "I didn't know you lived with anyone. We can hang at my house, that's fine. I'm sure Rose will be at Emmett's anyways. It's basically like I live by myself these days anyways." I told him as I kissed him lightly. This just made me realize how little we actually knew about each other's lives back in Rhode Island. Yes, I knew the basic things from hearing them from Jasper but it was the day to day things that I had no clue about. Like, roommates for example.

"Yeah, I've been roommates with Mike and Jared since freshman year and we got an apartment off campus last year." He explained quickly as yet another announcement came over the speakers.

I nodded and pulled away from him. "Okay, we can talk about all of this later. You have to go before you miss your flight." I told him quickly.

He just smiled as he leaned in again for another quick kiss. "I love you, Isabella Marie. The details don't matter, baby."

"I love you too, Edward Anthony. Go." I said as I pushed his chest as I laughed. I watched until he disappeared out of my sight before walking towards the exit that we had both walked through less than an hour ago.

I was riding back to Forks today with Esme who had stayed in Seattle with Carlisle to help pack up his house so they could finally get their house in Port Angeles set up. She was supposed to meet me outside so that is where I headed for, and immediately spotted her little blue Ford Escape that she had been driving for a few years now. "Hi!" I chirped as I opened her passenger side door, sliding into the warmth of the car.

"Hey, sweetheart. Edward get off okay?" she asked as she pulled out into the evening traffic.

I sighed because it was insane how much I missed him already. "He did." I told her just as my phone dinged from my pocket. "Excuse me." I told her as I pulled my phone out to see a text message from Edward. "It's him." I told her as I opened up the message.

**I love you, baby. From now until forever.**

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at his sweet message. "He's good, isn't he? His father was that way also. I think they just ooze romance and sappiness." Esme said as she drove us out of the airport.

I nodded. "He kills me sometimes." I told her as I began to tap out my own reply.

**Is that going to be our thing? I love you too, from now until forever.**

His reply came back almost instantly.

**Why not? It's perfect. GTG. I will call you when I get home. I miss you already.**

I didn't know if he would get my reply before he turned his phone off or not but I couldn't not respond to his sweet message.

**It is indeed perfect. It is insane how much I miss you already.**

"You two radiate happiness these days. I never thought I would see Edward so happy." Esme said as I stuffed my phone back into the pocket of my jeans.

I sighed as I looked over at her. "I never knew he felt that way, you know. It's insane to know that I was with the wrong brother for over six years." I told her honestly because I knew she was the one person that I could talk to about this and get an honest and unbiased opinion even though they were her sons.

She shook her head. "You shouldn't think of it as being with the wrong brother for six years. The two year separation of Edward being in Rhode Island and you being stuck finishing high school in Forks would have been horrible if you had gotten together back then. I'm sure that if you guys feel a quarter of what I felt for his father that separation would have either never happened or killed one of you two if not both. Now, you are both at the same college and can now have an adult relationship instead of one ruled by teenage hormones and insecurities." She said as she reached over taking my hand in hers.

"Yeah, I never thought about it like that. Just a four day separation already seems unbearable and we've only been together for a few weeks." I confessed quietly.

Esme just laughed as she patted my hand. "Has Edward ever told you the story of me and his father? I know he knows it because he always had his dad's leather bound journals in his hands when he was a teenager and his father was an avid journaler."

I shook my head. "He's mentioned his dad's journals a time or two but he's never told me about you and his father."

"That sounds about right. I met Edward Sr. when I got a job at his law firm. He was almost fifteen years older than me but that didn't matter to us, neither did the fact that I was a sophomore in college working in the mail room of a prestigious law firm. He had already made partner when I had met him." She said as a brilliant smile lit up her face.

"I didn't even know his dad was a lawyer."

She nodded. "Yeah, he was a brilliant man. I think that's where Edward gets his smarts from. His talent at the piano comes from me because I've always played instruments and was really good at them. Anyways, I remember the very first day I met his father as if it just happened a few hours ago."

"What happened?" I asked curiously.

She smiled as she shook her head. "I was pushing the cart of mail down the hallway to start my morning round of passing out the mail when I heard behind me 'Hey pretty girl!' but I just knew he couldn't be talking to me so I kept sorting the mail for the first office. He called it out again and this time I turned around to see who he was talking to. I guess you could say my curiosity got the best of me." She said with a chuckle.

I kept quiet, already intrigued by her story.

"He just looked at me and said 'Yes, you pretty girl. I was talking to you.' I didn't know what to say to him because he was a partner with his name on the side of the building. I knew about him from hearsay and sorting out his mail day after day. 'Do you know how to work a computer?' he asked me as he raked his hand through his hair the same way Edward does now. 'Who doesn't know how to work a computer?' was the brilliant response that came out of my mouth. I was immediately embarrassed so I slapped my hand over my mouth and all the idiot did was double over in laughter." She said with a laugh of her own.

"He asked me if I could help him input some files into his computer because he was more of a pen to paper type of person. I spent that entire day and the next helping him transfer his files onto his new computer. He asked me to dinner at the end of the second day and the rest as they say is history. We said I love you to each other after nine days of dating. Engaged after five weeks, married after three months, and found out we were pregnant the day after our first year anniversary."

"Wow,that was fast." I told her amazed at how quickly their relationship progressed.

She nodded. "It was but we both felt that if it felt right why procrastinate. We were both seize the moment type of people. It was quick with Jasper's dad too but not as quick as with Edward Senior. I still get shivers just thinking about him. The entire time we were together we never spent a night apart or more than a few hours during the day without at least talking to one another. It nearly killed me when he got killed running a stupid errand for me that could have waited until the next day or never. The only reason I kept going was because I knew how proud he was to have a son and I was going to honor that legacy." She said as she swiped at the tears the fell down her cheeks.

"You've raised a great man that I am almost certain his dad would have been proud of." I told her softly.

She just nodded in agreement. "He would indeed because he is so much like him it is unreal at times. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of Edward and for a moment my breath will hitch and my heart will falter because I think it's his father. They look so much alike. I will have to show you some pictures one day or ask Edward to show you the last of his father's journals. He has a picture in there that was taken about a week before he was killed."

"I will ask him Friday when he picks me up from the airport." I told her with a smile.

She chuckled lightly. "Don't waste a second, Bella. Seize the moment."

I nodded. "I'm going to. I love him."

"I know you do, sweetheart. It's written all over both of you guys' faces."

I just shrugged as I turned my attention to the scenery that I had seen my whole life pass by as we headed for Forks.

"Have the two of you talked about this whole Jasper situation?" She asked after a few miles of silence.

I sighed and nodded. "We have and what's done is done. Jasper is Edward's brother and one of my life long best friends as well as my ex-boyfriend so we both are trying to move on from it. We are all happy and in other relationships so why hold a grudge?"

She chuckled. "So very true. How are things going at school?" she asked and we spent the rest of the car ride jumping from topic to topic just catching up on things we had both missed out on in the past year and a half.

Later that night I played with my phone as I lay sprawled out across my bed. Edward should be getting home soon. He had sent quick texts when he had landed in New York for his short layover and again when he landed in Providence promising to call when he got home. "You busy, sissy?" Rose asked as she poked her head around the cracked bedroom door.

I shook my head as I rolled over sitting up setting my phone in my lap. "Nope, what's up? The girls finally give it up?" I asked waving her in patting the spot on the bed beside me.

She nodded as she sat down beside me. "Yeah, they finally went down. I…um…don't know how….dammit." She said in frustration as she hung her head.

I instantly knew that she had something to tell me but didn't know how to tell me. "Just spit it out, Rose. Whatever it is can't be as bad as you are making it out to be." I told her as I reached for her hand to offer her whatever encouragement she needed.

"Emmettaskedmetomarryhimandmoveinwithhimwhenwegetback." She rambled all together and I only caught a few words.

I laughed and shook my head at her silliness and nervousness. "Come again?"

She took a deep breath. "Em asked me to marry him and move in with him and the girls when we get home so we can be a real family."

I smiled as I squeezed her hand in excitement. "Well you did say yes right?" I asked her quickly.

She nodded and pulled her left hand out and showed me the simple diamond ring resting on her finger. "I did but I feel awful leaving you high and dry when I know you struggle already to make your ends meet." She said as I admired her ring.

"It's beautiful, Rose, and don't you worry about me. You know me, I will make things work one way or another." I told her as I pulled her into a hug until my phone ringing broke us apart. "I love you, sissy."

"I love you too, Bella. Enjoy being happy for a change." Rose said as she hopped up off the bed, walking out of the room silently, shutting the door behind her.

"Hey, handsome, you home?" I asked answering my phone without looking at the caller id.

"I just got settled into my room. Mike and Jared are watching porno's together in the living room." He sounded exasperated by his roommate's actions.

I barked out a laugh as I rolled onto my back on the bed. "Really? Together? Are they gay?" I asked between giggles.

"Not that I know of, I think they both have girlfriends but I wouldn't really know. We don't talk much these days. Different paths in life and all that." He explained quietly. "I think it's time to find a place of my own. Maybe I will go apartment hunting or something tomorrow since school doesn't start until Wednesday. "

I suddenly had a brilliant idea. I was in need of a new roommate and he wanted a new place to himself. "What about moving in with me?" I suggested as I sat up in my excitement.

He laughed. "What about Rose? Where is she gonna sleep? The couch? The dining room?"

I shook my head even though he couldn't see me. "Seize the day, Edward. And no, Rose is moving in with Emmett because they got engaged earlier today." I told him excitedly.

"Wow, good for them. I can tell you've been talking to my mother, baby. She's all the time telling me to seize the day and to not waste a moment. Are you sure about this, Bella? Living together so soon? Will that kill the romance?" He asked hesitantly.

I sighed. "I honestly don't know but I also don't like the idea of us not seeing each other all the time. I've kind of gotten used to your ass being around." I told him which caused to bust out laughing.

"Oh you have, have you? I kind of have gotten used to going to sleep with you in my arms and waking up with you sprawled on top of me."

I just giggled. "I don't do that." I denied even though I knew that is exactly what I did when we had slept here on my childhood bed. "So what do you say? Move in with me?"

"Of course, Isabella. Should I bring my stuff with me Friday when I pick you up from the airport?"

I sighed as I flopped back down onto the bed. "Sure, the sooner the better. We can all discuss furniture and stuff when we are all in the same time zone again. Are you excited about school starting back on Wednesday?"

"Yes and no…" Our conversations that night spanned any and every topic under the moon as we talked until the wee hours of the morning neither of us getting much sleep. I texted Rose right before I fell asleep that the roommate search was over because Edward was moving in.

The next morning I awoke to a beautiful text message from Edward.

**Good morning my sleeping angel. I'm going out to get boxes to start packing up my stuff. Are you as excited about this as I am? Call me when you get up, I miss your beautiful voice.**

I sighed as the smile lit up my face while I dialed his number. "Is it Friday yet?" He asked in lieu of 'hello' which caused me to giggle.

"I wish, babe, I wish. My chest aches with wanting to touch you in some way." I admitted as I rubbed it a little bit.

I heard him sigh. "I know, baby, mine does too. Three more days and we will be together again. Is it pathetic that my entire existence is now packed into eleven boxes?"

"Not really, if I remember correctly you've always been a minimalist type of person. Do you have a piano at your apartment?" I asked as I stretched my back out on my bed hearing it pop.

"No, I wish I did but this apartment isn't really conducive to practicing on the piano. I have a private room at Brown that I use all the time."

"A private room, huh? Does the door lock? Is it soundproofed?" I asked as a fantasy involving him, me, a piano, and very few clothes began to form in the back of my brain.

He chuckled. "Have a Pretty Woman fantasy, Isabella?" He asked huskily.

"Maybe. Well?"

"Yes it is soundproofed and the door has a lock that only I have the key to." He said his voice audibly deeper than it was a few minutes ago.

"Good. We have a year and a half to live out that fantasy." I told him as I rolled over onto my stomach looking out my window. "It's raining. Again." I told him trying to get the subject back to safer grounds.

He laughed, a deep belly aching laugh. "You are so easily turned on, baby. It's always raining there, what's new? It's sunshine and cold outside here."

A knock on the door jerked my attention away. "Hold on, babe, someone's at the bedroom door." I said into the phone as I climbed from the bed opening the door to reveal a still pajama clad Rose with a red eyed Abby in her arms. "What's up, Rose?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, really, I just thought I heard you talking to Edward in here and figured the three of us could talk about this moving rearrangement." She said quietly.

"Edward, you got time to talk about moving arrangements?" I asked into the phone as I headed back for my bed with Rose and Abby following. We sat on opposite ends of the bed much like we did when we were teenagers.

"Yeah, knock yourselves out. I was taking a break anyways."

"Okay, I'm gonna put you on speakerphone, okay?"

"Okay."

The three of us hashed out all of the details of what furniture was going and what was staying. Rose said she wanted the living room suit and Edward said we could go Friday afternoon and buy a new one. Rose was leaving her bed in the upstairs bedroom so Edward and I agreed that since his bed was newer and larger that we would sell mine and put his in our bedroom. The whole conversation lasted about thirty minutes but made us all feel better knowing that there was a plan in place for when we went home on Friday.

Our conversations over the next few days focused on arranging the details of him moving in and Rose moving out and when to do it. We also didn't talk long because he was having to get up early and go to work and was tired by the time he came home, I understood though. Soon enough that would be my life once again, going to classes and going to work.


	13. Now 7

**Chapter 13**

**Now…**

"You're just going to stop right there?" Sarah asked when I stopped telling the story. I left out all the goody details because in all reality they were high school students and I was their teacher.

I smiled and nodded. "I am because the bell is about to ring. I will pick up right there when we come back from Christmas break. You guys will get a story a week until the end of school, I think." I told them happily. "We will discuss it more after the break."

The entire class groaned because I had stopped the story just as it was getting good according to the groans of complaint I heard around the room. "I promise, I will pick up right where we left off when we come back."

"Okay." They all grumbled as they packed up their things.

"I will come up with a plan and propose it to you guys when we come back from break and see if it will work for you guys too. Have a great Christmas break, be safe, don't eat too much, be safe, and I will see you guys in two weeks." I told them just as the bell rang.

I spent the quiet test time in my next period to review over my lesson plans for the remaining months of school and saw a few ways I could get at least two days a week free if the students were willing to do the extra work at home. The rest of the day went in the same manner, me spending my quiet test times reworking my lesson plans so that I could give my seniors what they wanted, my love story with Edward. I figured since we were spending so much time going over my love story that I would include some questions from the entire story time days on the final, just to see how much they have actually been paying attention.

"You want to go baby shopping since we don't have school tomorrow?" Edward asked as we walked to the car that afternoon hand in hand.

I squealed a little bit. "Yes, absolutely. Are we going to get the nurseries together these next few weeks?" I asked him excitedly because even though we had the paint sitting in the empty rooms we hadn't had a chance to actually do any painting yet.

Edward nodded. "Yeah, Em and Jazz are supposed to come over tomorrow for a few hours to get the painting out of the way. I figured you girls could spend that time going through all of the stuff we bought and putting things together since we know from past experience that us guys suck at that." He said with a smile as he opened my car door.

I just laughed because the three of them had fussed for hours over Jacqui's crib when we were setting up her room all those years ago. We figured that since Emmett had two daughters before any of us ever knew him that he would know how to put a crib together. Boy were we wrong. Even though Rose and Emmett had four kids, they have put none of their cribs together. "You have yourself a deal, handsome. Let's head to Target."

A few hours later we were pulling into our driveway with all the nursery décor and bedding and some of the smaller furniture while the big pieces were being delivered first thing in the morning. "Are we unloading today or tomorrow?" Edward asked as he pulled into the garage.

"Tomorrow." I groaned as I pulled myself from the car. My feet and back were killing me and I could fall asleep standing up where I was if I could actually manage it.

I went straight to bed because I knew we had a busy but productive day planned for tomorrow.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"This looks amazing, you guys." I told them all as I stood in the middle of the frog nursery. It was now complete besides clothes, diapers, and other little essentials that we weren't buying until after the baby shower. "It's perfect, absolutely perfect." I told Rose and Alice as I ran my fingers over the soft blanket that was laid in the crib. The yellow and green walls made the room look so much different from the plain white walls that had graced the room before we had started. The curtains were hung at the solitary window in the room, the pictures were hung on the walls, the dresser/changing table was put together and decorated, shelves were placed on the wall with a few trinkets on them, along with the bookcase that had a few things on it already. It was a perfect baby's room that could be grown into. The furniture in the frog room was white with a slightly elegant look with a sleigh style crib while the furniture in the pirate room was a dark walnut color with a chunky style to it.

"When you figure out a name you can hang his name right there above the crib." Alice said as she held baby Alex against her chest while she burped him.

I chuckled and nodded because Edward and I hadn't even started discussing names yet. "Sounds perfect, Ali. Thanks for all the help today." I told her as I hugged her gently so as not to disturb Alex.

"This rooms done, too." Edward called from across the hall.

The three of us walked across the hall and I was blown away by the way that room looked too because the guys had taken to decorating the pirate room while us girls had decorated the frog room. "Wow." I said as I took in the bold red and navy walls; three of the walls were navy blue while the largest wall in the room was dark red. I laughed at the little tiny anchors that hung from the mobile that was attached to the end of the bold chunky crib that matched the rest of the furniture in the room.

Edward came and wrapped his arms around me from behind, our hands naturally coming together on our babies. "You like?" He asked quietly.

I smiled and nodded. "I do like it. I wasn't too sure of the dark colors but it works well with the theme of the room." I told him as I looked at the room. "I'm sure they will both love their rooms." I told him honestly.

"Now that the manual labor is over can we eat?" Emmett asked as he rubbed his stomach.

We all laughed and nodded. "Charlie and Sue have invited us all over for dinner once we are finished. They actually called about fifteen minutes ago saying it would be ready in about an hour." I told them all with a big broad smile.

"Sue cooked?" Emmett asked with wide eyes.

I smiled and nodded. "Yep."

"Lasagna?"

Rose just shook her head because Emmett was a sucker for Sue's cheesy lasagna. He was really a sucker for anybody's food as long as it was there. But, he swore that there was something magical about Sue's lasagna that none of the rest of us could match no matter how hard we tried. Us women didn't complain because it saved us from having to cook for a night. "Yes." I told him which caused him and Jasper to haul ass out of the room leaving the rest of us in hysterics.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

A little over a week later, Edward and I were lying in bed looking through baby name books and websites. Christmas had come and gone with more presents than what any of us knew to do with and a lot of hassling from everybody about picking our babies names. "Do you want one of our boy's to have your dad's name or yours?" I asked him curiously as I scrolled down the webpage on my computer.

He shrugged as he laid the book down across his stomach that was bulging a little from all the chicken spaghetti and garlic bread he had inhaled earlier. "I honestly don't care. I don't want either of them to be named completely after somebody else. They deserve to have their own names. I am named after my dad and grandpa so maybe we can continue that in some way. My dad's first name was Edward and my grandpa's first name was Anthony." He said as he picked the book back up.

"James Edward?" I asked trying out a name just for the hell of it. He scrunched his name up and shook his head.

"Sean Anthony?" He asked.

I scrunched my nose and shook my head. "No, too ordinary. We need something strong but unique also. What about Braxton Edward?"

"That doesn't really go together that well. What about Trystan Edward after me and my dad?" He suggested.

I smiled because I liked that combo, it sounded really good together. "Baby boy, does that sound okay to you? Trystan Edward?" I asked my stomach as I sat my computer aside so I could cradle our baby's gently. I had been feeling little flutters for a few days now but nothing major so Edward could feel it too.

"How about it son? Do you like that name?" Edward asked as he scooted down in the bed until he was face level with my stomach. "I'll be glad when I can feel them too."

I shrugged. "I'm a little over 18 weeks so if they want you to feel them I guess we can. Everything I have read says that we can start to feel them anywhere from 15 weeks on but that it may be harder to feel anything with twins because they are so cramped in there." I explained to him as he pushed lightly on the side of my stomach only for both of us to gasp. "Was that….?" I trailed off in astonishment at feeling the first real kick from the babies.

He poked again and got another kick or punch so I decided to try myself on the other side. I got nothing. "Oh, are you not gonna move until we name you too, sweet boy?" I asked the stubborn little boy laying contently inside my stretched stomach.

Edward just laughed as he played with our son getting him to poke me in the side. "Sounds like your son through and through. It's your turn to pick a name, are we going to try to incorporate your dad's name somehow?" Edward asked me quietly.

"I'm sure he would love that, babe." I told him blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay. "Would you be okay with that?"

He nodded as he placed a gentle kiss against each side of my stomach. "Okay, you go first."

I sighed as I ran through my mini list of names in my head. "What about Bryan Charles?" Edward shook his head causing me to huff in annoyance. "Fine, Jaylon Charles?" I sighed because I really did like the name but was afraid Edward wasn't going to like it at all. It also went well with Trystan.

"Jaylon Charles. I like it. Are you going to be a Jaylon, buddy?" Edward asked as he poked the other side of my stomach and got a small kick in return. "Looks like we have our names, Trystan and Jaylon, I like them." Edward said as he placed a gentle kiss on either side of my stomach.

"I can't believe you finally got to feel them kick." I told him as I continued poking gently on my stomach to encourage them to kick or punch but apparently they were tired of playing with mommy and daddy. "It has been a really great vacation, babe. This just makes it absolutely perfect."

Edward frowned up at me. "I wish you would have let us celebrate our dating anniversary with something other than take-out and the _Notebook_."

I smiled and shook my head. "Nope. I've really enjoyed these past two weeks of being able to get things ready for the baby's and not having to rush around in the evenings or on the weekends."

He wrapped his arms around me from behind as we got situated in the bed so we could go to sleep, eventually. "I know, baby, and you can do that after this school year. You are the one that wanted to finish out the school year." He reminded me with a gentle kiss to the back of my head.

"I know and I will go as long as I am able. Plus, there is no way I would desert the students in the middle of the year anyways." I said as a huge yawn nearly ripped my jaw out of socket.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't want to go back to school tomorrow either." Edward whispered softly into my ear. "I love you, Isabella, from now until forever."

I nodded as I snuggled down in the blanket and his arms. "I love you too, handsome, from now until forever."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

The first day back to school after any sort of vacation or break was always fun for me because I got to hear about everybody's time spent at home with their families or on some elaborate trip for the holidays. I was bombarded with questions about our possible new agreement as soon as my AP English 12 class walked through the door. It was decided that in return for two story days a week, Monday's and Wednesday's, they would read 10 pages of the book at home every night, have a group act-out every other week, write a two page essay due on the opposite weeks of the act-out's, and have a mini-quiz three days a week.

They agreed begrudgingly when I threatened to not finish my story at all if they didn't feel like doing the extra bit of work at home. Since it was a Tuesday they didn't get a story that day but were excited for the next day to pick up the story where we had left off at before break. The rest of the day dragged on with the typical first day after a break stuff that had to take place until the last bell had rung for the day. Our co-workers threw us a surprise baby shower after work, despite our protests that it wasn't necessary.

"Thanks, you guys!" I called back to everyone as Edward stuffed the last bag into the trunk of the Volvo. It was just getting dark outside and we were just now heading home after an afternoon of pizza, soda, and baby gifts. We had gotten so many blankets, bottles, and outfits that I didn't think we would have to buy them anything and this was just the first of what I knew now was going to be two baby showers. Despite my arguments, Alice and Esme were determined to throw me a baby shower the day before we all left for vacation in Hawaii for spring break.

The vacation in Hawaii was a tradition we had started the first spring break Jasper, Edward, and I had been teaching and we kept it up no matter how many kids were added or who was pregnant. Everybody went, no excuses, and we always had a blast once we got there. When I say everybody went, I meant everybody no exceptions. We all pitched in and rented this beautiful house that had a private beach and over five acres of a private oasis that was all ours for seven beautiful days. Seven days with all fourteen adults and eight little kids was enough to drive the sanest person insane but we all loved it and looked forward to going each year.

"What are you smiling about over there?" Edward asked as he reached for my hand placing our joined hands on his thigh as he drove single handedly towards our little oasis in the woods.

"Hawaii." I said simply.

He chuckled as he shook his head. "What made you think of Hawaii? That's almost three months away still."

I smiled and nodded. "I know but that's when they are planning on having the baby shower." I told him with a quick glance at the filled backseat and trunk area.

"That makes no sense. We should have it within the next few weeks so we can know what else we need to buy before the babies get here. I don't want you stressing out over menial stuff towards the end of your pregnancy. It's bad enough you won't leave school early. I will have to talk to Alice and Ma." He rambled on.

I just smiled because I had fought the idea of having the shower so late in my pregnancy but they had been adamant that that was the easiest and best time. I knew my husband would have none of it because he was so protective over me already so I had easily given into the persistent women at the time. "You do that then. I think when we have that three day weekend in a few weeks would be a perfect time to have the baby shower. I posed that weekend as an option but they just blew it off as an option." I told him as I turned to look out the window as we neared our small little home town about 20 minutes from our school if traffic was light.

"You knew I would not like that idea, didn't you?" He asked quietly.

I just simply nodded. I knew he wouldn't go for having the shower so late in my pregnancy because he was so over protective of me and our children already.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

The next day was a little more interesting because it was Wednesday and story day for my Advanced English 12 students. I was immediately curious when I saw several of them walking in carrying gift bags or wrapped gifts sitting them on my desk before taking their seat. "What's all of this?" I asked as the pile on my desk grew as each student walked in.

"We decided to get you some more baby gifts since the faculty threw you and Mr. M a baby shower yesterday." Sarah explained as she took her seat.

"You guys didn't have to do this. The hand bound leather journal of our love story is more than enough. That's the best gift you guys could ever give me. Well that and a passing grade on the final." I told them as the bell sounded and I had a pretty good stack on my desk beside where I normally sat.

The entire class shrugged and shook their heads. "It's no big deal but can you please open them as you tell the story instead of before?" Mary Beth asked excitedly.

I chuckled and nodded. "Okay." I told her as I pulled the first package onto my lap as I sat on the corner of my desk instead of the middle like I normally did. "Where did I leave off?"

"You and Mr. M talking about moving in together." Janice piped up quietly.

I smiled as I looked at the tiny onesies in my hands. One said 'My mommy is a teacher, what super power does yours have?' while the other said 'My daddy is a teacher, what super power does yours have?' "These are absolutely adorable!" I told them as I pulled the next package onto my lap as I pondered on where to begin the next segment of our story, we had a long way to go and a limited number of days to do it all in. "Take my advice when I tell you that moving in together within the first few weeks of a relationship isn't for everyone but it worked for us. I felt as if my world had been completed when Edward finally swept me up..."


	14. New in Used

**Thank you guys so very much for all of the reviews! I do appreciate and read each and every one of them though I suck horribly at replying to them as my phone makes it a tad difficult.**

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**Chapter 14**

**New in used**

Before either of us realized it, it was Friday afternoon and I was strolling through the airport excitedly with my duffle bag thrown over my shoulder and my huge suitcase rolling along quickly behind me. "Isabella!"

I quickly stopped so I could scan the crowd around me searching for the voice that sent shivers down my spine. As soon as I spotted him I dropped my bags and ran leaping into his open arms. "Oh god, I've missed you." I mumbled into his neck as I held on tightly.

He laughed as he spun me around playfully. "I've missed you too, baby." He said just as he placed his lips against mine for a passionate kiss.

"You two get a room!" I faintly heard Rose call out from behind me.

"That's not a bad idea, you ready to go home?" Edward mumbled against my lips.

I nodded. "Do you have your stuff with you?" I asked as he sat me back on my feet.

"I have the important things out in the car. All that's left is my bed, desk, recliner, and dresser." He explained as he shouldered my duffle bag that I had had to go buy so I could fit all of my stuff I had acquired over Christmas in it.

"Okay, Em is bringing his truck for all of us to use tomorrow." I grabbed the handle of my suitcase, shooting a smile over at Rose as she went the opposite way with Emmett and their girls. "Love you, sissy!" I called to her.

"Love you too, sissy. See you tomorrow!" She called back with a wave before disappearing from sight.

"Let's go, handsome." I said hooking my arm through his as we headed for his car.

The next morning found Edward and I walking hand in hand through a furniture store while Emmett and Rose packed up her stuff and moved it out of the house. "What kind of couch do you want?" I asked him as I looked at all of the options around us.

"It doesn't matter to me, baby. I have my recliner coming from my apartment, remember?" He asked as he kissed the Claddagh ring before allowing our joined hands to swing between us once again.

I nodded as I stopped in front of a smaller overstuffed sectional. "I don't know what your chair looks like though and I want it all to match fairly well." I told him as I ran my hand across the back of the sectional. It was a leather/cloth combination one and I really liked it.

"Believe it or not, it's about the same color leather as the bottom of this couch. Do you like this one?" He asked as he tugged me down onto the chaise lounge part.

I nodded against his chest as I draped my legs over his. "I think I do. I kind of like this whole set-up right here with the tables, rug, and everything." I told him motioning over my shoulder.

"I like it too. Good choice, baby."

I snorted against his chest. "Thanks, anything else you can think of? Maybe one big dresser instead of two small ones?" I wasn't nervous about living with Edward but I was slightly nervous about meshing all of his stuff with mine and meshing our routines together instead of living them separately.

"No need for that. I have a massive wardrobe unit that is probably huge enough for both of our clothes to fit in because about half of the drawers are empty now." He whispered against the top of my head.

"Okay, we can just move my dresser into the other bedroom or something."

"Sounds good to me, baby. Let's go get this thing bought so we can get back to our house." He said as he tugged us from the comfortable couch.

I sighed as I allowed him to pull me up from the couch. "Just how massive is this wardrobe?" I asked playfully as we walked back towards the cash register.

"It has twenty drawers and four doors that open to reveal six flat shelves." He grumbled quietly.

I just know that my eyes went wide at the mention of twenty drawers and six additional shelves. "Wow, I think massive is an appropriate descriptor." I mumbled as we stepped up to the counter to purchase our new couch.

The next stop on the shopping expedition was to pick out a TV and entertainment stand. We ended up having one of our first mini arguments over the size and price of our new TV. Edward wanted a huge 62 inch TV with a price tag of over a thousand dollars and I was perfectly happy with a 32 inch with a price tag of almost four hundred dollars. "Bella, please let me buy the big TV. It makes watching movies and football games and pretty much anything so much better. Please?" He begged as I stood a few feet from him with one foot tapping on the floor while my arms were folded across my chest and face was scrunched up in a pouty scowl.

"It's too much, Edward. I mean, you paid for the damn couch out of your checking account and it was over two thousand dollars!" I complained forcefully. I knew he had money but he didn't need to blow it needlessly.

He walked towards me and I shook my head at him as we had a mini stand-off in the middle of the electronics store. "That sectional will last us for years and there is no sense in making payment when we don't have to. Can we compromise on the TV? Maybe get a fifty inch instead of 62 or 32? I know that you have never cared about how much money Rose, Jasper, or I had but please let me make this transition as easy as possible for you."

I sighed because he was right. Rose paid for things because she could and knew that sometimes I had to let other things go to splurge with her. I had stopped offering to pay for anything when we were in high school when she did it to get some form of attention from her parents. Jasper had never pushed his money over on me, even though he spent plenty on himself over the years. "Okay, we can compromise on a 50 inch because watching Transformers and the Fast and Furious movies on that TV would be pretty amazing." I said as I allowed myself to be pulled into his arms. "Thank you for understanding, handsome."

"No problem, beautiful. That's my duty as your boyfriend. To understand everything there is to understand about you but also to talk you into allowing me to spoil you on occasion."

I laughed and pushed him away. "From now until forever." I said taking his hand to go pick out our compromise TV.

"Absolutely. From now until forever."

That weekend was a wake-up call at how much different this relationship was going to be compared to the one I had with Jasper. Edward and I were already closer than Jasper and I ever were even though we dated for over six years.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

That Monday brought another big change for us, Edward had to go back to work at the high school while I didn't return to work until the next day and college was still a week off.

"Have a good day, babe." I called out to him as he raced out the front door with his leather messenger bag tossed haphazardly over his shoulder. We had decided to take a joint shower that morning which ended up making him late leaving the house.

"Love you, vixen." He called out with a smile.

"Love you, too." I said with a giddy laugh.

I wrapped my robe tightly around my waist tying the belt as I headed into the kitchen. I spent my morning cleaning the house and organizing the rest of our stuff that was still scattered about from the moves and us returning home. Laundry took up the biggest part of my day so it wasn't so bad until I had to wait for each load to finish. I pulled out my phone and shot Edward a text.

**Loving you while missing you is hard work.**

I sat my phone in my lap as I sat atop the washer waiting for one of the machines to finish so I could get busy again.

**I know what you mean. Today is the first day that my mind hasn't truly and fully been here in the classroom with me. I love and miss you too.**

I smiled as I read the text message from him while I typed out a final one to him.

**It will just take time to get our routine down and get used to it. Have a good day at work. Love you, handsome.**

**Love you too, beautiful. From now until forever.**

**From now until forever.**

I tossed my phone into the pocket of my pajamas as the dryer stopped tumbling. I hopped down and finished up our laundry before preparing dinner for Edward and I.

"Honey, I'm home!" Edward called out as he walked in the front door.

I tossed down the salad bowl that I was carrying to the kitchen table as I raced in his direction. "Hi!" I said as I flung myself in his open arms. I wrapped my arms and legs around his waist as his went to my butt to help hold me up. "God, I missed you." I whispered against his lips.

"Mmmm…I missed you too." He said as he took a few steps forward pressing me into the wall and his body firmly against mine.

I ground my aching soaked center against his hard aching erection creating friction we both needed. "I need you now!" I moaned out as my hips took on a life of their own.

"Mmhmm." He mumbled as his fingers slipped beneath the tiny shorts I had slipped on earlier after I had decided to get dressed. My fingers trailed down his chest until I found the button of his pants.

We quickly shed our clothes before Edward picked me back up, slamming me back into the wall. "Here?" He asked as he lined himself up against my wetness.

"Yes! Please! Now!" I begged helplessly.

"Your wish is my command, baby."

Later that evening after dinner was eaten and the kitchen was cleaned up, we settled into his recliner to just relax together. "Are you sure this is comfortable for you?" I asked as laid my head against his shoulder. I was sitting spread across his lap. "I'm not too heavy?"

He just laughed and kicked up the foot rest. "Hush and let's watch this movie." He said as he draped the blanket around us.

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you, too."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

I went back to work at the diner the next day which kept me occupied but also made me miss Edward since I worked evenings to close most nights. It seemed like we were never home at the same time with us both working. I knew it would only get worse once we started classes. As of right now, we saw each other first thing of a morning before Edward left for work and at night after I got off work. While when I was with Jasper it didn't bother me if we barely talked or didn't see each other every day, it bothered me immensely with Edward. It bothered both of us instead of just one of us, which was something new for me.

A few days later, I was sat propped up against the headboard watching Edward get dressed for work and I had to say it was a pretty fantastic sight. This was one of the perks of living together: seeing him look so sexy first thing in the morning. Since he was working at Providence Prep, he had to dress up in either a suit or dress pants, button down shirt, and tie. Today, it was a suit, a light grey one with a dark purple shirt and silver tie.

"You look good enough to eat, handsome." I told him as he tightened his tie up until it was perfect before slipping the tie clip in place.

"You look good enough to eat, Isabella." He growled as he looked at me through the full length mirror.

I just laughed as I folded my arms across my blanket covered breasts. "You had enough to eat last night." I told him trying my damndest not to smile but was failing miserably.

"Ha Ha, as did you, sweet girl." He said as he slid his suit jacket on, fastening a single button to hold the sides together.

I smartly kept any further comments to myself because that was a slippery and dangerous slope we were both headed down. "Indeed, we both did." I said softly unable to stop myself.

He just laughed as he shook his head at me. "What time do you get off tonight?" He asked as he grabbed his leather messenger bag tossing it over his head, adjusting the strap across his chest.

"I have to close tonight so it will probably be around 10 before I get home." I told him. I watched as the scowl appeared on his face at the mention of how late it would be when I got home. He had told me that I didn't have to work if I didn't want to but I was adamant at the time that I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't have a job. Plus, I had worked hard to get my position.

He just shook his head as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You know, you didn't have to pick up these extra shifts." He said as he gently cupped my face in his hands. Here we go again.

I smiled and nodded. "I know but I also can't leave Owen in such a lurch. With Rose quitting suddenly and me covering some shifts for the other waitresses so they can go home for a visit, we are short staffed." I told him as I leaned into his hand. "It won't be this bad much longer, I promise. He's doing interviews all week."

He smiled and nodded. "I would actually love to see my girlfriend when we're not either getting in bed or out of it."

I quirked my eyebrow at his statement. "Oh really? I thought you liked it like that." I teased him as I scooted forward allowing the blanket to drop.

"Oh, I do don't doubt that for a second, but I would also like to be able to eat dinner with you or actually discuss our days without one of us falling asleep in the middle of it." He said just before sealing his lips to mine.

I moaned out loud when he nipped at my bottom lip playfully. "I know, handsome, and I will be cutting back my hours at the diner once classes start up again and you are only going to be working half days once classes start back. That will free up a lot of our time plus Owen always cuts back hours once college starts back up." I told him as he laid me flat on the bed, hovering above me.

"Good, I hate that we are both so damn busy and hardly ever get to see one another." He said as he placed playful kisses all over my face causing me to giggle loudly.

I shoved him off of me as his phone beeped indicating he needed to leave within the next five minutes to make it to school on time. "You have to go, and we will discuss this more tonight. I love you, Edward Anthony." I said as I placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"From now until forever, Isabella. I love you too."

"From now until forever." I reiterated.

Living with Edward was a whole new experience but it had been a good one so far. Different from living with Rose and not at all how I pictured living with Jasper would be like, but I was eternally grateful of both of those things. In all the years that Jasper and I had dated, we never once talked about moving in together and rarely stayed at one another's place more than a single night, we were content with our own spaces. I couldn't imagine not going to bed every night now without Edward curled up behind me or smelling his cologne in the bathroom or seeing his toothbrush sitting beside mine. It was weird how quickly we had gotten attached but I wouldn't change it for anything because it just cemented it into my mind that Edward and I were meant to be together whereas Jasper and I obviously weren't. I tossed the blankets off of my naked body as I headed for the shower now that Edward had left for 'work'. We had attempted to shower together last week and it had almost made him late, so we only did that in the evenings or on the weekends now, not when one of us had somewhere that we had to be.

"Sissy!" I heard faintly through the water I had my head buried under. After my shower I had decided to take a nice long soak in the tub before I had to go work an 11 hour shift.

I blinked open my eyes only to inhale a mouthful of water as I tried to scream in fright while still under the water. Rose was standing over the top of me with a giggling Abby on her hip. I splashed water everywhere as I quickly came up sputtering as I tried to regain my breath. "What are you doing here? You scared the shit out of me." I told her as I grabbed the towel she was holding out for me so I could climb from the bathtub.

"I figured we could go do lunch before you have to go to work. I feel bad for leaving everybody in such a lurch but the girls' babysitter had to rush to Montana suddenly." She said with a smile as she turned and headed back into the bedroom without giving me time to reply. Edward and I had opted to keep my bedroom since it was the bigger one and had a connecting bathroom when he moved in so we had turned Rose's old room into a guest room/study.

"Owen understands as do I, who gives a shit whether Lauren or Jessica understand?" I told her as I dug my clothes from my half of the dresser.

She just laughed as she sat on the edge of the rumpled bed. "True. So, do you have time for lunch?"

I nodded as I dried off before slipping my panties on under the towel. "Yeah. How are things going living with Emmett and the girl's full time?" I asked as I tossed the towel into the hamper so I could finish getting dressed.

"They're going great. A lot of my stuff was already there and I spent most of my time there anyways so it wasn't that big of a change for us, but I'm glad that it's permanent now. We set a wedding date this morning, by the way." She said as she played with Abby on my bed causing the little girl to squeal and giggle.

I damn near stuck my head through an arm hole when she said that. Once I had my shirt on right I spun to look at her with my hands on my hips. "You didn't start out with that?" I asked her trying to pretend to be angry.

She just laughed and shook her head. "Nope. We're going to Vegas in March for Spring Break and are going to do it then. Please don't hate me but it's going to be just us and the girls."

I just shook my head because she had always been adamant that she didn't want to be the center of attention on her wedding day so she was going to run to Vegas and do it just to piss her parents off. Apparently her dream wedding was going to actually happen. "Oh, I'm not mad because that means I don't have to dress up. I expected it because you've said that's what you wanted to do since we were 16. But Charlie's gonna be mad at you, he wanted to walk you down the aisle." I told her as I stepped into my jeans.

"I talked to him this morning and he said to have fun and send him some pictures because it saves him from having to dress up in a monkey suit. Like father like daughter." She said with a firm nod and cocky smile just before she blew a loud raspberry on Abby's stomach.

"Well ain't that somethin'." I told her as I slipped my feet into my flats. "Like father, like daughter."

"Yep."

After lunch I dropped Rose and Abby off at Kate and Garrett's tattoo parlor to get another flower added to mark the occasion while I headed down the block to work.


	15. Now 8

**Chapter 15**

**Now**

"Did you and Mr. M bicker a lot when you first moved in together?" Victoria asked curiously.

I shrugged. "I guess every couple argue over little things but that is what makes a relationship stronger, Victoria. I don't think neither one of us expected things to go perfectly smooth because we were two different people with our own routines and ways of doing things." I explained to her honestly.

"What did you argue over?" She asked prodding me on.

I chuckled because looking back now it was over the stupidest things. "Him not picking up his dirty socks from beside the bed. Me forgetting to put a trash bag back in the trash can after I took the trash out. Him forgetting to put the toilet seat back down after using it." I told them looking pointedly at all the guys in the class. "Me leaving the dishes in the dishwasher until I needed them again." I said shrugging my shoulders because we had eventually worked all those kinks out.

"Looking at you two now, you would think that both of you were perfect." Alicia said quietly.

I shook my head. "No, Alicia, we are both far from perfect but we are perfect for each other. Don't forget to do your nightly reading, the pages are listed on the board. There will be a quiz tomorrow over tonight's pages. Paper due on Friday no act-out this week though." I reminded them just as the bell rang dismissing the class.

The rest of my day was pretty uneventful. Once my last class was dismissed I picked up my bag and headed for Edward's area of the high school so we could head home. "I don't care, Ma, we are not having the baby shower right before we head to Hawaii for spring break. It's too much stress on both of us and Bella will be too far along by then to deal with all that stress." I heard him say into his phone as I walked into his office.

"No, you can call Mary Alice and tell her yourself since you two are the ones that came up with this cockamamie idea in the first place. You all should know how important it is to have everything set up and ready well before the due date. Hell, take a good look at our family's history at giving birth." He snapped into his phone irritably as he ran his fingers through his hair tugging on the ends, a habit I had never been able to get him to break no matter how hard I tried.

I hopped up on his desk as he continued to pace behind the desk. "Yes, she's here and no she didn't ask me to call you to change the date, I took that upon myself like you all knew I would." He said as he came to stand between my legs, kissing me gently on the lips, mouthing 'I love you' while he listened to his mother rattle in his ear.

"I love you too, Ma and I will see you the Friday before. Tell Susie and Brice Hi and that I love them. Okay, I'll tell her. Bye." He said as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

I smiled up at him as I felt our baby's kick within my stomach at the sound of their father's voice. "Is it all set now?" I asked him quietly.

He nodded. "Yep, it's a done deal. Baby shower is on the weekend you originally set. Mom said to tell you hi, she loves you, and can't wait to see you then. You ready to get home?"

I hopped off the desk. "Yes, but first we have to stop by my classroom and get the gifts that my seniors brought me today." I told him as I grabbed my bag from the floor where I had dropped it earlier.

"They brought you presents, too?" He asked as he grabbed a big bag off the couch that I had failed to notice before now.

I nodded. "All kinds of things but mostly outfits for the baby's or blankets, did they bring you stuff too?"

He nodded. "Yeah, a few outfits, some picture frames, a couple of stuffed animals that have a chip inside where you can record saying, songs, or anything on them and play them for the baby, and a couple of books that the guys thought would be funny." He said as he looped his arms around my shoulders guiding us back down the hall towards my classroom.

Once we had all of the gifts gathered and loaded in the car we headed towards home. "What do you want for dinner?" I asked Edward as I looked through the cabinets wondering what I could make with the chicken I had laid out this morning before we left for school.

"I don't care, baby, whatever you come up with is fine by me. Do we need to use any special laundry soap for the boy's blankets and clothes?" He asked from the laundry room we had installed when we first moved into the house for good.

I just laughed. "No, just use our regular detergent but push the button for an extra rinse." I told him as I started slicing up the chicken breasts for chicken fajitas.

"Okay. Why does Alice use that special baby soap?" He asked as he fiddled with the washer, getting all the baby's new clothes and blankets started washing.

"It's just because she likes the smell of them not out of necessity." I told him as he walked back into the kitchen from the laundry room.

He hopped up on the barstool where he had some papers of his that needed grading stacked. "That shit is expensive. I looked the other day when I went to the store and there is no way I am paying that price for friggin' laundry soap." He said as he pulled the red marker out of his pocket.

"What are you grading?" I asked because I was always curious as to what he was grading when he taught band and music appreciation at school.

He just laughed. "This stack is a musical composition I had screwed several sections up and they were supposed to find them and correct them." He explained holding up a small portion of the stack of papers. "This stack is a two page essay on famous musicians that my music appreciation class had to write over Christmas break to replace the paper they did horribly on before Thanksgiving. I forgot them at school yesterday and I promised them I would have them turned back to them by tomorrow." He said pointing to the majority of the stack.

"Do the papers have to be grammatically correct?" I teased him because while he was an amazing teacher and musician, he sucked at grammar and punctuation.

He shook his head wrinkling his nose because grammar wasn't really his thing either. "Not really, just be historically correct." He said as he started marking up the pages one by one while shaking his head in irritation.

"What's wrong?" I asked him when he slammed his marker down.

He ran his fingers through his hair tugging lightly. "How do they expect to be great musicians if they can't read or write music correctly?" He asked as he held up one of the pages that had red marks all over it along with some written scribble that I recognized as Edward's handwriting.

I shrugged. "I don't know, babe, I don't know. Maybe you need to sit the ones who did horribly on this down and explain the importance of being able to identify mistakes in written forms of music." I suggested as I heated our tortilla shells in the skillet.

He nodded as he uncapped his marker again to finish grading the stack of papers. He was almost finished when I slid his plate in front of him. "Take a break and eat dinner with us." I told him as I slid onto the barstool beside him.

He chuckled, sliding the papers away from him and pulling his plate to him. "Always, this smells delicious baby." He said as he kissed me on the side of the head.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

The rest of the week went by uneventfully and before we knew it, the weekend was upon us. Friday evening found us being lazy in our pajamas camped out on the couch watching movies. Saturday found us being just as lazy but this time we were still in bed when the clock struck noon. Sunday found us being a little more productive but not much more so. Alice and Rose came by Sunday afternoon without the kids to take inventory of the nurseries so they could know what to buy for the family baby shower. I was a feeling a little leery about school today because I was going to have to share a particularly tough time in mine and Edward's relationship but it had to be told to make the rest of it make sense and flow properly.

"What's wrong with you, baby?" Edward asked as we sat eating our cereal for breakfast Monday morning.

I sighed setting my spoon down into my bowl. "I'm to that point in our story." I told him solemnly.

He grunted as he drank the milk from his bowl as he mused over what I said. "Can you just skim over it? They've asked about the scar on my hand but I've never told them what happened."

I shook my head. "I don't think it really matters whether I skim over it or tell it all in detail. That whole time was difficult for all of us."

Edward stood kissing me on the side of the head. "You will do a fantastic job as always and the important thing is we all made it out alive and that sadistic bastard is living his days out in hell."

I nodded as I handed him my bowl, my appetite now completely gone.

Thirty minutes later, we were strolling through the school halls when I felt my stomach jerk and rumble. "Oh no." I said clamping my hand over my mouth as I quickly walked to the nearest bathroom.

Edward just shook his head as he followed along behind me. "Apparently the babies don't like this part of the story either." He said as he wet some paper towels laying them across the back of my neck as I emptied my stomach of my breakfast.

I sat on top of my desk later that morning as my Advanced English 12 class strolled in. "You okay, Mrs. Masen?" Mary Beth asked as she walked slowly to her seat.

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. The babies are acting up this morning and are constantly letting me know that they are upset with me right now." I told her with a smile as I rubbed my rounded stomach soothingly.

She scrunched up her face. "Is it really that awful?"

I shook my head. "It's all part of becoming a mother, Mary Beth. I will accept all the bad along with all the good to get my babies here safely."

"When are the babies due to be born?"

"My due date is June 6th, if we make it that far." I told her as I cradled my stomach gently.

She smiled. "That's perfect timing because school will have just ended, and you will be free to spend all summer with the babies. Are you coming back to teach next year?"

I shrugged. "At this point, I am going to say no but it's not set in stone either. I would love to take off a few years to spend raising our babies at home but I think I would miss teaching also. I have wanted to be a teacher most of my life and have worked towards that solitary goal for years now so I don't know how I feel about giving it up completely." I told her honestly just as the rest of the class started filtering in.

"That's understandable, Mrs. Masen. I plan to be a high school math teacher, that's what I'm going to go to college for." She said with a smile.

"Why high school, Mary Beth?" I asked her because I knew why I wanted to teach high school but most teenagers went for elementary school education, not high school.

"Because I want to show people that math can be fun even though at times it is difficult to learn. Most students in high school already have a bad impression on math and the work that's required to master it and I want to prove to them that it can be fun and not so strict and tough." She said with a wistful smile on her face.

I smiled. "That's great, that's almost the same exact reason I wanted to teach high school English."

She smiled and nodded. "And you are great at it, too!"

I just laughed as the bell sounded announcing the class was officially in session. "Good morning, guys and girls." I told the class as I got up to shut the door.

"Good morning, Mrs. Masen!" They echoed back excitedly.

I just laughed as I hopped back up on my desk to get the quiz over with so we could continue on with story time. After I handed out the assignment sheet for this week, I got a bunch of grumbles from the students as they looked over the sheet of paper that detailed their pages to be read every night, the act-out assignment, and the essay question choices for next week's paper. "Do we have a problem, guys?" I asked them as I looked at the extra copies in my hands as I got situated back on top of my desk.

They all got quiet and shook their heads. "No, ma'am."

I smiled and nodded as I sat my papers aside, folding my hands in my lap. "Does anybody remember where we left off?" I asked even though I already knew the answer before I asked it.

"Rose had just gotten another tattoo added to mark her engagement." everybody echoed loudly.

"Oh yes, the next several weeks brought about a lot of…."


	16. Babies all around

**SURPRISE!**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Babies all around…**

When I pulled into the parking lot that night after my shift at the diner I was instantly worried because the parking lot was filled with flashing lights, cops, EMT's, and yellow tape. I quickly scrambled from Edward's car racing to the door only to be stopped by two policemen. "You can't go through here, ma'am. It's a crime scene." The woman officer said as she placed a firm hand on my arm to prevent me from moving.

"My boyfriend and I live here. He's inside." I told her with panicked eyes because I had talked to Edward almost half an hour before closing and he said he was cooking me something to eat.

She sighed and shook her head. "I still can't let you through right now. Our officers are surveying the scene for evidence. Which townhouse do you live in?" She asked as she pulled a little notebook from her pocket, flipping it open.

"C." I told her as I wrung my hands together nervously.

"Your name?"

I huffed in annoyance. "Isabella Swan and the other name on the lease is Rosalie Hale but she moved out a little over a week ago when my boyfriend moved in."

"Your boyfriends name?"

"Edward Masen."

Both of them nodded. "I see. Well, I hate to tell you but your home was broken into tonight and is now an active crime scene."

"Is Edward okay? He was in there cooking me dinner not even an hour ago." I asked as I started to panic as all the sirens and cops started getting to me and I wasn't getting any answers.

The other officer that had remained quiet up until this point pointed over at the ambulance. "He's being bandaged up at the moment, but he's going to be fine. He's refusing to go to the hospital until you got here." He said with a small smile.

"Bandaged?" I asked nervously as I looked in the direction he had pointed, trying to catch a glimpse of Edward. "He's hurt?"

They both nodded. "He fought off the attacker so he got sliced up pretty good. He also has what we suspect are a few bruised or broken ribs. Do you or Ms. Hale have any enemies or people with a grudge?" The female officer asked just as my name was screamed from somewhere behind me. I nearly crumbled at hearing of Edward's injuries but at least he was alive.

I quickly turned around to see Emmett and Rose standing there being detained by more cops. "That's my friends, and the other person on the lease, can they please come over here?" I asked both officers.

They nodded and radioed the officers standing with Rose and Emmett telling them to let them through. Rose ran up to me once the cops let her through. "Oh my God, Bella, are you okay?" She asked as she ran her hands over my face and arms.

"I wasn't even home yet, Rose. Edward was though and he got hurt pretty badly, apparently. Emmett can you go find him and check on him for me? Please?" I rattled out quickly because my nerves were just about shot with worry for Edward and how he was doing.

"Sure thing, Bella. I'm glad you weren't hurt."

"Thanks, Em. Tell him I said I love him, please." I begged him quietly.

He nodded and took off for the ambulance that the cops pointed to. "I'll let him know you are here and that you love him." He said as he jogged away.

"Do either of you know of anybody who would want to cause you or the people in your lives harm?" the male cop asked.

I shook my head. "Why do you think they wanted to cause us harm and not just steal our stuff?" I asked as I squeezed Rose's hand that was trembling.

"Because nothing was stolen or ransacked and your boyfriend is cut up pretty badly." The guys said.

Rose went rigid at his tone. "Officer…?" she trailed off because she didn't know their names and come to think of it, I didn't either.

We both looked at them expectantly. "McNally." The lady said pointing to herself. "Anderson." She said pointing to the guy standing beside her. "Nothing was taken from the apartment and Mr. Masen said that the guy was angry and kept coming after him even when he backed away from him."

I sighed and nodded as I leaned into Rose's side. "It could be Royce, but we haven't seen or heard from him since we left Washington almost two years ago." Rose mumbled softly.

I gasped. "Your engagement announcement came out in the paper today, sissy. Both here and in Washington, I know Charlie called me to tell me. Could it just be a coincidence?" I told her as we both turned to the cops.

"Who's Royce?" The lady asked as she wrote in her tiny notepad.

"Royce King the second. We dated for about six months in high school but when he became abusive I broke it off. He doesn't take the word 'no' very easily." Rose explained softly.

"My dad is the sheriff of Forks, Washington and placed a restraining order on him so he has kept his distance for the most part." I went on to explain.

The officers nodded. "And you've had no contact with him since leaving the state?"

Rose shook her head. "No. The last contact we had was when Charlie, Bella's dad, put it in the newspaper that we got full ride scholarships to attend Brown."

"What did he do then?"

"He stalked us around town for a few days before cornering me in the grocery store one day. He told me that I could move clear across the continent but I would always belong to him." Rose whispered softly.

"Has he contacted you since then?"

Rose shook her head. "No."

"Okay, we will look into his name. Do you have somewhere safe to stay until we can make sure it's not him?" Officer McNally asked as she flipped her notebook closed.

Rose nodded. "Yeah, I will be fine. I live with my fiancée and our two daughters about 15 miles from here. It's in a gated community with patrolled security." She explained as she placed a kiss to the side of my head.

"What about you Ms. Swan?"

I looked up at her in surprise because I though once they had collected all of their evidence we could go back into the townhouse. "I can't stay here?"

Both officers shook their heads. "Not for a few days. Do you think you could find somewhere to go?"

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I will figure something out. Is that all? I would like to go see my boyfriend now." I asked them urgently.

They both nodded and smiled at both of us as they stepped aside to let us through. "We'll be in touch." They said as I raced ahead of Rose to the ambulance but was stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of Edward. There was bloody gauze everywhere I looked that caused my stomach to lurch. I looked around and found Edward laying on the stretcher in the back of the ambulance.

"Edward?" I asked quietly not wanting to startle anyone. The EMT's were working quietly and meticulously on his arm and hand. I got worried when Edward didn't turn to look at me when I called his name.

I felt big burly arms pull me into a comforting hug and recognized the arms to belong to Emmett. "He's going to be fine, sweetheart. We will call Charlie and see you guys some time tomorrow. Please be safe." He said as he kissed me on the side of the head before releasing me as the EMT's approached me.

"Thanks, Em." I called after him as the bigger of the two EMT's walked towards me

"You Bella?" The burly EMT asked.

I nodded. "I am. How is he?" I asked as I looked him over the best I could from the ground.

"Stubborn. He's refusing to go to the hospital until you got here so we are doing what we can." He explained as he stepped out of the back of the ambulance. His whole right arm from the tips of his fingers to his shoulder was covered in layer upon layer of gauze. "Climb on up, I'm sure he will calm a lot once he lays eyes on you."

"Thanks." I shook my head at his stubbornness as I climbed into the ambulance to sit on the bench beside my hurt and stubborn boyfriend. "Edward?" I asked again as I reached forward to cup his face.

He rolled his head in my direction and that's when I saw the ear buds in his ears. Music played such an important part of his life, it only made sense that he would be listening to it now to help keep him calm. The most beautiful smile spread across his face when his eyes met mine. I reached up to tug his ear buds out of his ears so he could hear me. "Hi." I whispered as tears began pouring down my cheeks at the sight of his bandages.

"Hi, baby. You sure are a sight for sore eyes." He ground out as if in a tremendous amount of pain.

I looked back and forth between the two EMT's. "Have you given him anything for pain?"

They both shook their heads. "He's also refused any pain medicine saying his music would help." The skinny bean pole EMT explained.

I chuckled because that sounded just like my Edward. "Handsome, why don't you take something for the pain while we head to the hospital?" I asked him as I leaned forward to kiss his lips gently mindful of his injuries. I needed that touch, it helped reassure me that he was alive, cut up but still alive. "I won't leave your side the entire time. Promise. From now until forever."

He nodded and the EMT immediately hooked a syringe to the IV in his hand. Whatever it was it had him smiling as his head lolled to the side within a few seconds. "From now until forever, baby." He mumbled just as his eyelids fluttered shut.

We spent the next few days in the hospital to make sure Edward's wounds didn't set up infection and also to monitor his bruised ribs. The palm of his hand had taken 13 stitches to close up while his arm took over 20 as did his side. Luckily his ribs were only bruised but that along with his cuts made it difficult to shift and move around.

Spending the few days in the hospital allowed us time to find a new place to live since neither of us wanted to go back to that townhouse. We had finally gotten the okay yesterday to go back in but I didn't want to leave Edward's side and he obviously couldn't leave the hospital yet. So with that being said, Rose and Emmett offered to go in and pack all of our stuff up while I stayed with Edward. The cops had identified the fingerprints found all over the front door and the description Edward had finally managed to give. It was a 100% perfect match to Royce King the second and he officially had a warrant out for his arrest for assault with a deadly weapon, breaking and entering, and violating a restraining order. Charlie was going to try his best to come out this way to not only check on me but also to see if he could help with the investigation.

"What about this one?" I asked as I showed Edward an apartment for rent on his laptop.

He sighed and ran the fingers of his left hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know, Bella. It's not close to the diner or Brown." He said tenderly.

I sighed as I shut the computer, setting it aside on the night table before sliding down in the hospital bed he was laying in. I was on his left side since his whole right side was bandaged and healing. "Want to tell me what's wrong?" I asked him quietly because his excuses were no longer valid since I had quit from the diner yesterday when I found a note on the windshield of the Volvo when I had went to pick up my paycheck.

He sighed. "I hate that this is forcing you from the home you've had since moving out here and the home we were just starting to make for ourselves. I hate that it has caused you to not feel safe enough to keep your job. I also hate that it is taking away your security and safety. I hate all of this."

I shook my head. "This is in no way your fault. Look at it this way. We will get to move into a home that neither of us has ever lived in before so it will be completely ours with no other memories but ours. And I can always find another job once that psycho is caught and put behind bars. Plus, you told me I didn't have to work anymore if I didn't want to. Remember? Maybe I want to take a break and enjoy life with my sexy boyfriend for a change. Maybe I want to play nurse to your patient. Did you ever think of that?" I quirked my eyebrow at him begging him to refute anything I had just said.

"You do have a way with words, Isabella. I really liked that last apartment you showed me." He said with a smile and puckered lips indicating he wanted a kiss.

I pecked his lips lightly. "Okay, I really like it to because you have to have a card to get through the outside gate and to get into the building. There is also a security guard on duty 24/7." I told him as I grabbed the computer again pulling the apartment back up.

"What about the layout? Do you like it?" He asked as I strolled through the pictures so he could see them.

I nodded. "I do. I really like it. I love how it has like a mini library slash computer room that we can use for studying and all our books." I told him as I pointed to it on the floor plan.

"Okay, make an appointment for this afternoon so we can go see it." He said as he kissed my shoulder gently.

I turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you know something I don't?" I asked because I thought he was stuck for at least a few more days, until his stitches came out of his side.

He smiled and nodded. "Yep, the doc said this morning that I'm getting discharged tomorrow and we are going to need a place to stay. Just have to come back in a few days to get stitches out."

I raised an eyebrow up at him. "Then how are 'we' gonna go see it this afternoon?"

"Your phone. We are going to be video chatting while you tour the apartment and meet with the property manager." He said smugly.

I just laughed as I slid back down in the bed beside him as I typed the phone number into my phone so I could call the apartment manager. "Yes sir, this is Isabella Swan and I was calling to see if you had any…"

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

After having a hilarious tour with Edward on video where he talked more than I did. The apartment manager was a bit skeptical when we asked if we could move in the following day, before the background checks came back. But quickly acquiesced when I informed him that my father was the chief of police back home in Washington and when Edward told him that we would be paying the deposit along with six months' worth of rent up front. I took the background checks and lease papers back to the hospital with me so we could both sign them since the apartment was going in both of our names. I had the nurse fax them back to the apartment manager, just like we had agreed, with both mine and Edward's signatures at the bottom of the pages.

The next afternoon we slowly walked through the door to the apartment that was littered with our furniture, boxes, and our friends. "Dad, what are you doing here?" I asked when I spotted Charlie sitting in the corner of our couch in the living room. He wasn't supposed to be here for a few more days.

He jumped up and quickly wrapped me in a hug. "Sam offered to cover for me a few days so I could come check on you guys, help you settle in, and see what I can offer to the investigation here. My flight landed a few hours ago." He explained in a rush as he released me before patting Edward on the shoulder that wasn't in a sling. "How are you, son?"

Edward groaned but nodded. "I'm doing okay, just a little tender from the stitches pulling and healing." He said as he shook Charlie's hand lightly. "I'm just glad Bella and Rose weren't there. That bastard is deranged and determined." He muttered quietly to Charlie.

"Me too, but I hate that you got hurt in the process. That bastard needs to be locked in a tiny room and the key thrown away. How bad did he get you?" He asked as Edward slowly walked to his recliner that had come from his old apartment.

I spoke up before he had a chance because he would say it wasn't that bad, like he did when his mom had called asking after him. "He downplays it a lot. He has over twenty stitches in his arm, 13 in his hand, over 20 more in his side, along with bruised ribs and a concussion." I told my dad, Rose, and Emmett as I went to sit on the arm of Edward's chair.

"It's not so bad, I get to get my stitches removed day after tomorrow when they will put glue and butterfly stitches where needed. My ribs are what are giving me the trouble." Edward grunted as he tugged me down beside him which earned him a mock glare from me and my father. From me because I didn't want to accidently hurt him and my father because he didn't like seeing us so at home with one another. "She exaggerates a lot but I still love her."

"I'm not exaggerating. You cringe in pain at almost every slight movement you make. I just don't like you in pain." I told him with a light kiss to the side of his head.

I loved sharing this chair with him, it was how we had started spending our evenings at the old place even though we weren't really there long enough to form a long term routine. "I'm fine, stop worrying." He whispered into my hair when I refused to relax against him.

Rose stood up with Emmett. "So, the beds are set up with fresh sheets and pillows so that should do you for tonight. Unfortunately the satellite guy won't be here for a few days yet so it's Netflix or movies that you guys own which are packed in a box around here somewhere." She said as she looked around at all the boxes stacked along the walls.

"It's okay, sissy, I think we are just going to be sleeping the past few days off tonight." I told her as I squeezed Edward's good hand.

She nodded with a smile before continuing. "We took the liberty of stocking the fridge and cabinets with some of your guys' favorite foods to tide you over until you can take the time to go to the store to buy everything else. Toilet paper, towels, shampoo, soap, and everything is on the counters of each bathroom. Clothes are already in drawers and in the closet." She said as she pointed around the room as she listed off stuff.

I raised my eyebrow at that one.

"Don't flatter yourself, sissy, we moved them that way and I just hung everything from one closet to another. No biggie. Anyways, we ordered pizza and chicken wings about 10 minutes before you guys got here so it should be here in another ten minutes or so. With all that being said, our girls have been with the babysitter all day while we moved you guys so we are going to get out of here and home to them. Be safe, we love you, and we will see you all tomorrow when we deliver the rest of the boxes we couldn't fit in the truck tonight." Rose explained in a rush causing me, Edward, and Charlie to chuckle quietly.

I stood up and wrapped her up in my arms. "Thanks for everything, sissy. I love you." I whispered in her hair as I squeezed her tightly. "Go give those girls a hug from us."

"I love you too, sissy. Be safe but be happy also. Don't let this idiot control our lives. We will see you guys in the morning cause the girls want to come see their 'Papa' now that they know he's in town." She said as she kissed me on the cheek.

I smiled as I released her. "Okay, see you guys them. Let's not make it too early though. I'm exhausted after those days in the hospital." I told her as I walked her and Emmett to the door.

"I love you like a sister, Bella, so please be safe. When you are in danger my Rosie puts herself in danger also and we can't be having any of that." Emmett said as he leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek.

I kissed his cheek in return because no words were needed to express my gratitude at all they had done in the past 24 hours.

"Bye Eddie, Bye Charlie!" Emmett called as he opened the door which caused the alarm to start beeping.

"Don't forget to reset the alarm, sissy. Love you." Rose called out as she shut the door behind them.

I no more than had the damn alarm reset when another knock sounded on the door. I peeped through the peep hole and saw that it was a security guard with the pizza delivery guy standing behind him. "Ms. Swan?" The security guard asked.

I nodded. "Yes sir." I said as I held the door in my grip.

"My name is Matthew Sutton, I'm one of the security guards on staff as well as a resident here. I know you are new to the complex but when you order food you need to meet them at the gate to get your food." He said kindly. "Since it's your first official night here, I didn't know if you knew that or not." He said with a smile.

I hadn't even thought about that when Rose had told me she ordered us dinner. "Oh, okay. I had no idea. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, we've only been home about ten minutes. Our friends ordered dinner for us." I explained.

He nodded. "It's no problem. If you want, you can phone the security station and let us know you are expecting a delivery so we can phone you when they get here. Have a nice night."

"Thanks, Matthew. Have a good night as well." I called to him as he turned to walk down the hall towards the elevator. "Sorry about all of that." I told the delivery guy.

He shook his head. "It's okay, this is the first time I've delivered to this complex so I didn't know what to expect." He said as he dug around in the huge red bag he was holding. "Your total is $43.27." He said as he handed me the receipt. "I just need you to sign this." He said pointing to the line at the bottom of the receipt.

"Why am I signing?" I asked cautiously.

He chuckled. "It was a credit card transaction, we just need the signature to complete the transaction." He explained as he pulled out a stack of boxes.

"Oh okay." I told him as I scrawled my name across the bottom of the receipt. "Here you go." I traded him the receipt for the stack of boxes and a two liter Dr. Pepper.

"Thanks. Have a good night." He said as he slung the now empty bag over his shoulder.

"We will." I told him as I shut the door turning around to find two men looking at me strangely. "Problems?"

After pizza, chicken, and soda we all decided to call it a night. Charlie was exhausted after his flight across the country while Edward and I were exhausted from our stay in the hospital.

"Can we please take a shower before bed?" Edward asked as we stood beside our bed. "I feel yucky from the hospital."

I laughed. "Of course, come on handsome, I will help you get clean." I told him as I headed into the bathroom that I had instantly fallen in love with on the tour yesterday. The shower was big enough for both of us as was the soaker tub. "I love this bathroom." I told him as I turned on the knobs to the shower.

"Oh, I've got something that needs your attention all right but getting clean is the last thing on its mind." He said as he shucked his pajama bottoms he had worn home from the hospital causing his prominent erection to slap against his stomach. I think that was the most erotic sound in the entire universe.

I just laughed as I turned on the water. "You're not too sore?" I asked as I stripped my shirt off over my head.

He shook his head. "Nope, not at all."

Needless to say, we broke in not only our shower that night but also our bedroom. I had to do most of the work but that was all good, because in the end we both got what we wanted. He got me and I got him to relax.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Would you hold still?" I asked Edward who was sitting on the edge of our bed with his arm stretched over the top of his head while I attempted to clean and bandage his side after our amazing night had made them start aching and oozing slightly. The nurses had said to let them breathe as much as possible but with them oozing just a little bit, Edward and I both felt more comfortable with a light bandage over them, nothing like it has been though.

He whined a little bit. "Sorry, it's tender and it hurts." He complained as he twisted away from where I was trying to clean his wounds with the sterile saline solution the hospital had sent home with us. "Just be easy, please." He begged as I squirted some of the solution on his stitches.

I just rolled my eyes. "I am being easy. I'm not even touching it yet." I told him as I rubbed the excess solution off of his side before it dripped onto his shorts or onto our bed. "Just trust me." I told him as I began gently dabbing at the stitches to dry them. "I don't like you in pain any more than you like being in pain."

He gripped my hips in his one good hand and tugged me to stand between his legs which stopped me from messing with his side. "I trust you with my life, Isabella. From now until forever."

I dropped my cotton ball onto the open trash bag on the bed so I could wrap my arms around his shoulders. "Watch your hand, please." I whispered as I threaded my fingers through his hair tipping his head back so that I could look at his beautiful face. "I love you and trust you with my life, too. From now until forever."

He nodded as he began placing kisses on my exposed chest and neck. "Duly noted."

After a few minutes of snuggling in close together I pushed him away so I could finish cleaning and dressing his wounds for the day. "Come on, handsome, let's get you finished before everybody gets here." I told him as I eased his wife beater over his head so he wouldn't rub his bandage off during the day since it wasn't taped completely closed just enough to hold it in place.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Later that afternoon it was just Edward and I alone in our new apartment getting things arranged and situated. Charlie had disappeared with Rose, Emmett, and the girls after the last load of boxes had been unloaded from the moving trucks. All of our belonging were officially cluttered around the apartment. Charlie said that he was giving us space so we could get settled in and so he could spend some time playing with his granddaughters; but in actuality those little girls had him wrapped around their little fingers. I groaned at the awkward yet very revealing conversation my teasing him about that being the real reason he wanted to go with them.

_"__So sue me that I want to go play with my newly acquired granddaughters." Charlie said with a shrug of his shoulders as he slipped his jacket on while said granddaughters tugged on his pants legs._

_I just laughed. "You never know, you may have even more grandbabies sometime in the future." I told him as I settled in against Edward's hips as he lay sprawled on the couch on his good side with his stitches facing up to air out. He was laying down while I was sitting up leaning back against his hips/legs._

_He jerked his gaze to mine. "Don't get any bright ideas, young lady, you have two and a half years of school left and the rest of your life for kids. I'm not in any hurry from either of you two girls to give me anymore grandbabies. Abby and Lizzy will work just fine until you all get out of college." He sputtered out as he looked back and forth between Rose and I who both wore cheesy grins on our faces._

_"__Umm…about that." Rose said with a smile on her face._

_I gaped at her in shock. "You're not!" I cried out as a huge smile ghosted my face. Rose had always wanted kids but was skeptical because of the way her parents had done her._

_She nodded. "We just found out the evening of the accident. That's why we were so close to the old house, we were coming to tell you guys. I wanted you to be the first outside of the two of us to know." She said as Emmett wrapped his arm around her shoulders with a huge smile on his face._

_Charlie just shook his head as he opened his arms for Rose who quickly shook off Emmett's arm and scurried into Charlie's. "Congrats sweetheart, I know you will be an amazing mother to all three of your children but you better finish school. No matter what." He raised his eyebrows and stared pointedly at Edward and me as we sit/lay on the couch. I just smiled and held my hands up as Edward shook his head quickly before anybody could say anything._

_"__I'm covered." I said cheekily as Edward snorted from behind me because as much as we had sex it was a good thing I had the mirena in place to prevent any accidents from happening._

_"__Good." Charlie said huffing as he glared at Edward before turning to Emmett. "You and I need to have a chat, son." He said as he walked to the door holding it open for Emmett. "Rose, can you pick us up at the truck rental place?"_

_She nodded. "Sure thing, Charlie. I love you both." She called to them as she blew them a double air kiss._

_"__Love you too." They both called back causing Edward and I to laugh aloud._

"Baby, did you hear me?" Edward called shaking me out of my memories of earlier.

I leaned over around the wall so I could see him. "No, what's up?"

He just laughed. "I was wandering if you wanted to go out to dinner or order in since we are both so busy unpacking." He said as he stuck some CD's on the shelf. We had decided to tag team the unpacking as long as he promised to not overdo it. He was unpacking and organizing the music on the built in book case in the living room around his record player/radio system that I had no idea how to even turn on while I was organizing our library/office. Music was his thing while books was mine, it just made sense for us to separate and tackle our specialties.

"Let's order in so we can hopefully get most of this stuff done tonight. We have a busy day tomorrow and then we start back to classes the next day." I reminded him with a gentle smile which caused him to groan.

He shook his head in annoyance. "What all do we have to do tomorrow?" He asked as he stacked some more CD's on the shelf. It was taking him a bit of time because he was having to do it all one handed.

"We have to go grocery shopping, get your stitches out, drop Charlie off at the airport, wait around for the cable guy, go drop off you hospital papers at PP and go by campus to pick up our books and supplies for classes." I said ticking them off my fingers.

"Oh." He said simply as he resumed his meticulous organizing of all our musical content while I returned to my meticulous organizing of our reading material that was more than filling up the floor to ceiling shelves in the little seven foot by seven foot by ten foot space. That is one of the things I loved about this apartment, the ten foot ceilings throughout that made the space seem just that much larger.

After a few more hours of unpacking, Edward was laying on the couch moaning because the cut on his hand was stinging and the one in his side was throbbing while I sat organizing our movies to put on the shelf beside our blue ray player and where our DVR box was going to sit once the cable guy came by tomorrow. "Why won't you take a pain pill?" I asked him once again. I had asked him an hour ago when I had pushed him onto the couch because I had caught him twinging in pain as he reached for his last stack of CD's.

He shook his head once again. "Not yet because they knock me out and I won't know the world around me exists until sometime tomorrow. I promise I will take one when dinner gets here, okay?" He said with a smile aimed in my direction to make me more agreeable.

I sighed and before I could say anything the doorbell to our apartment rang out. "I wonder who that is? Matthew is supposed to call when the food gets here." I told Edward as I unfolded myself from the floor to go see who was at the door. I was pleasantly surprised to see my dad standing on the other side of the door with our dinner and a smile. "Well hell, I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow sometime considering how tightly you are wound around those tiny little fingers." I quipped as I took the bags from his hands. "Thanks for getting dinner from the gate."

He just laughed as he followed me into the apartment. "Those little girls may have me wrapped around their little fingers but my other girls are just as important. Officer McNally was just dropping me off when I saw the delivery people talking to the guard in the guard shack. Figured I would save you a trip down there." He said as he walked into the living room, taking Edward's recliner since he was laid out on the couch trying to be very still. All the moving around had really worked his ribs and incisions over.

"Did you guys learn anything new while at the station?" I asked him as I dished up mine and Edward's plates. "Do you want some dinner or did you eat with Rose and them?" I asked him quickly remembering my manners.

He chuckled as he shook his head. "No, I made tacos with the girls and Rosie earlier." He said rubbing his stomach playfully. "And no they have no new leads. The last thing they have on Royce is him buying a plane ticket to Providence six days ago. He's literally in the wind."

"Well that sucks." I commented dryly as I carried mine and Edward's plates over to the couch, sitting Edward's in his lap as he sat up gingerly on the couch before sitting mine beside his so I could go get drinks and his pain pill. "I wished somebody would catch that psycho once and for good before he does something that can't be undone." I mumbled quietly on my way to the living room.

"We will sweetheart. I promise. I am going to be working closely with the police department here once I get back home. We will keep at this until he screws up and we catch him, I promise sweetheart. I'm going to be an active part of the investigation since his home base is Forks and I have a past history with him." Charlie said quietly.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

It was a little over a month later when I got what would be the first of many phone calls that scared the living daylights out of me. "Hello?" I asked groggily as I blinked and squinted at the alarm clock to see what time it was. 2:22

"Baby, who is it?" Edward asked sleepily.

I shrugged as I listened on the other end of the line and could faintly hear heavy breathing. "Hello? Who is this?" I asked as I began to wake up a little bit.

I then heard a chuckle and a softly whispered "Izzy." That sent shivers down my spine and turned our bedroom incredibly cold. Royce. That is who was on the other end of the phone. I had no doubts because he was the only person that called me Izzy instead of Bella or BB, which only Jasper did.

I held the phone to my chest to muffle my voice so I could talk to Edward. "It's Royce." I whispered and before I could put the phone back to my ear Edward had sat up straight and snatched the phone from me.

"Leave us alone, you asshole. She's moved on and you need to grow a pair and accept that." Edward said venomously while I just stared wide eyed at him. I assumed Royce had hung up because Edward handed me back the phone with a shake of his head. "We need to call the cops." He said as he flopped back down onto his pillow.

I curled into his side with my phone propped on his chest as I dialed Officer McNally's number she had asked me to program into my phone as well as memorize in case of an emergency. After making a verbal report of the incident with Officer McNally neither of us felt like sleeping anymore. "Can we take a lazy day today?" I asked Edward as we sat snuggled on the couch watching the entire Twilight series on the TV.

He chuckled and nodded. "I don't see why we can't..." He wrapped me tight in his arms tucking the blanket snuggly around us. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you too, Edward Anthony, from now until forever."

"From now until forever." He reiterated.

Later that day Rose called me in a panic. "He's left flowers and a note on my windshield, Bella. I have Abby with me and I'm obviously pregnant, why is he doing this to me?"

"Rose, calm down. Where are you at?" I asked her in a panic as I stood up off the couch immediately going to slip my shoes on.

"I'm at Wally World. Once I seen the flowers I just ran back inside with Abby. I'm scared." She whispered in a trembling voice.

I smiled as I saw Edward standing right beside me slipping his shoes on also. "Tell her we're on our way and to stay inside where other people can see her."

I repeated what he said into the phone as we raced out the door and down to the parking lot. "We're on our way, sissy. Try to calm down it's not good for the baby. Stay inside with other people. We will be there in a few minutes. I love you."

"I love you too, sissy. Just stay calm. He's toying with us, don't let him win by causing you any visible fear, Rosalie. That's what he wants and you know it. We are getting in the car now." I told her as we climbed in the car with Edward driving.

I kept Rose talking the entire five minutes that it took us to get to Walmart where she and Abby were. "We're here, Rose, walking through the doors now. Where are you?" I asked her frantically when I didn't see her.

"In the toy aisle letting Abby play with the bouncy balls." She said quietly.

"Toy aisle." I told Edward as we headed that way at a quick pace. "Okay, we're almost there." I told Rose just as she and Abby came into view. "Rose!" I called out as my pace quickened.

I saw her visibly sag in relief at the sight of Edward and I. "E! E!" Abby called out when she spotted Edward. I watched as he quickly walked to the toddling girl scooping her up and spinning her around causing her to laugh loudly. I made a beeline to Rose wrapping her up in my arms.

"It's gonna be okay, Rose. We're gonna get through this. He called us this morning a little before two thirty." I told her as I wrapped my arms around her entire body, her tiny baby bump nestled between us.

She just sobbed into my neck. "I hate this, Bella. My kids are in danger, all three of them, because this psycho has some sort of obsession with me that he can't get over."

"I know, Rosie, I know. Did you touch the note or flowers?" I asked her quietly once she calmed down some.

She shook her head. "Okay." I released her a little bit so that I could talk to Edward. We needed to call the cops. "Edward?" I called out to get his attention.

He just nodded as he sat Abby down sending her in our direction. "I'll go take care of it. You guys stay in here."

* * *

I truly do not want to come across as the type of person that demands attention and recognition because that is not who I am at all but really? 1 review? This is just ridiculous because it is not that hard to leave at least a one or two word review of your opinion of the chapters.

See you guys on Sunday~


	17. Now 9

**Chapter 17**

**Now…**

"Did you finally catch that Royce idiot?" James asked in a tight voice.

I nodded. "Yes, but that will be in the next part of the story. Don't forget your end of the bargain and make me regret sharing our story with you guys instead of sticking to my original lesson plans. Group 1's act-out is due Friday." I reminded them as the minutes ticked down to the end of the class.

I waved to them all as the bell rang. "See you guys tomorrow." I called to them as they all filed out of the class. The rest of the day was uneventful as the day dragged by slowly and painfully. In the five minute break between my last two classes of the day I heard my phone buzzing from my bag where I had stowed it after having lunch with Edward earlier. I quickly snatched it out of the bag seeing a text from Alice.

**A: Can I decorate your house for the baby shower? **

I sighed because I didn't want to hurt her feelings but I also wanted something low key like our reveal party had been. Maybe a simple dinner with gifts given over dessert of some sort.

**B: I would rather not. Edward and I want something simple so maybe something like our reveal party had been? **

**A: Okay, no decorations. Can I at least do a baby cake of some sort? I am trying my hand at making cakes to bring in a bit of money and to occupy my time.**

**B: That's fine, Ali. But just a cake, okay? Keep it simple. **

I knew from personal experience that Alice's idea of simple and my idea of simple varied greatly but I knew with Edward having talked to Esme who in turn probably relayed the stern message to Alice things would be a happy medium between our differing opinions.

**A: Okay, Bella. I got it. Give my favorite nephews my love.**

**B: They are your only nephews and they send their love back to their favorite aunt!**

I put my phone away as my students trickled into the room for the last class of the day. It was a quiet and boring hour because my sophomores were taking a test. After I wished the last of my students to have a good evening, I settled down at my desk to start grading the tests while I waited on Edward to finish up. The school had two music/band teachers. Edward was the main music/band teacher while the other one worked strictly with the students on their formation on the field and practicing for game days. In another words, Edward got the classroom duty while Mr. Sal got physical part of it.

"Baby, you ready to go?" Edward asked startling me from my grading of the tests.

I looked up and had to smile at him as he leaned so casually in the door. He had rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows and unbuttoned the top several buttons revealing the white undershirt beneath it. His hair also suffered from him running his fingers through it time after time throughout the day. "Almost, handsome. Five minutes?" I asked wanting to finish the test I was on.

He smiled and nodded. "Absolutely. I'm gonna go bug Mrs. Halley for some of those brownies I heard about at lunch." He said with a wink before disappearing down the hall in the direction of the office.

I shook my head at him as I turned my attention back to the paper in front of me. When I finished with that test I packed up and headed out to find my handsome husband. I found him just where I thought I would. In the office sitting in the chairs in front of Mrs. Halley's desk munching on a brownie as they talked.

"Hi, Bella." The elderly secretary that had been there when both of us had interviewed for these jobs said with a smile as she held the tray of brownies out for me to take one.

I smiled at her as I snagged a brownie from her. "Thanks, Susan." I told her as I sat on Edward's lap sideways. I moaned as I bit into the delicious and soft brownie. "These are so good." I told her after I had swallowed my bite.

She just laughed. "That is why I make a double batch because I know that when word gets around that I have made them people are in and out of here wanting one." She explained as she placed the lid back on the container.

Edward and I spent a few more minutes in there chatting before we made our leave because we had to go buy some groceries.

"So Alice texted today at lunch asking if she could decorate our house for the baby shower." I told Edward as he loaded our groceries into the back of his Volvo.

He just looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "And?"

I just laughed. "I told her no and that I just wanted something laid back like our reveal party had been."

He nodded. "Thank God. Why our house?" He asked cockily.

I rolled my eyes at that comment because Alice's explanation had given him away. "I don't know, why don't you tell me?"

He shook his head. "I'm glad that my talk was taken seriously."

I didn't say anything as I slid into the passenger seat while he went to go put the buggy up. He had a smug smile on his face the entire trip home and I couldn't help but smile at his smug satisfaction.

"Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner?" I asked as I started unloading the grocery bags that he had sat on the counter top.

"Sounds fantastic, baby. Is that what the kids are craving tonight?" He asked teasingly.

I just smiled and nodded as I grabbed my noodle pot and a skillet.

Edward put away the groceries while I started our simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. After dinner we were sitting on opposite ends of the couch grading papers from our classes while the TV offered up just background noise. "Are your kids doing any better this time around?" I asked Edward as he worked intently on his stack of papers.

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, a little bit but I can tell which ones aren't there because they love music and the way it makes you feel." He said still sounding a little frustrated.

I nodded. "Yeah, I can tell which of my student's really love the books we are reading or when they can relate to a character out of a book and when they wait until last minute or use spark notes to find their answers. It's like they don't think we used to be in their seats and know all of their tricks." I told him as I underlined a run-on sentence on the paper I was grading.

He chuckled. "I absolutely abhorred history and spark notes was my best friend all through high school and college."

I shook my head. "I used it one time in senior English for one of the book reports. I felt horrible about it after I was done. It was one of the times that Jasper and I had spent the entire day fighting because I didn't feel like going to the beach with so much homework to finish." I admitted quietly.

"I understand perfectly, sweetheart. That is why you, Rose, and myself got full ride scholarships to Brown and Jasper didn't. What did you end up doing about the paper? Because knowing you as well as I do, I know that you didn't just leave it alone."

"The guilt was so bad that I begged the teacher to let me redo it and just get points deducted off for being a day late." I admitted softly.

He just smiled at me because he had been right in his assumption. "What did you end up making on it?"

"A 96 because I had four points deducted off for being two days late."

"That's sounds about right, little Miss Perfectionist." He said sitting his stack of papers aside laying his marker on top of them. "You ready for bed, my love?" He asked as he massaged my feet gently.

I sat my own stack of papers aside. "Yeah, I am exhausted. These babies are draining more and more energy from me every day." I complained as he stood from the couch extending his hands down to me.

"Unfortunately it's only going to get worse, baby. We just have to look at what we get out of the end of it. Two handsome heartbreakers." He said as he pulled me slowly from the couch draping his hands over his shoulders.

I scowled playfully at him. "My sons will not be heartbreakers. They are going to be perfectly respectable gentlemen, just like their father."

He actually had the audacity to laugh at me. "Baby, you might as well accept it now before they get here. You are absolutely stunning and you say I'm handsome so our sons are going to be a combination of the two. They are going to break hearts along the way but can be gentlemanly about it. I always was in the few times I had to break up with girls."

I sighed and hung my head. "If you say so but I don't have to like it." I told him as I brushed his lips in a gentle kiss before pulling away from him.

"Nobody said you had to, baby." He said as pushed me in the direction of the stairs that led to our bedroom while he turned everything off and made sure the doors were locked.

"Isabella?" Edward called out from the bedroom.

I giggled as I stuck my head out of the shower stall. "In here. Come join me!" I called to him as I stepped back underneath the spray of warm water.

"My pleasure." I heard him say as he stepped, completely naked, into the shower stall behind me. "You are one sexy creature, baby." He said as his hands found my hips pressing his hard erection into my backside.

I glanced down at myself and failed to see what he saw. All I saw was a huge misshapen stomach because one of the boys was stretching at the moment and nipples that were getting longer and darker as the weeks went by. "If you say so." I told him as his hands slid around my stomach and further down to my thighs.

"My body says so as does my heart and brain and eyes." He asked huskily against my ear. "See what you still do to me?"

I moaned as I laid my head back against his shoulder arching my back and pressing my hips into his. "Seems like you have a problem there, babe. What are we gonna do about it?" I asked him as I reached over my head, threading my fingers through his hair.

"We're gonna get clean while getting dirty." He said as he nipped my earlobe gently.

Tuesday was just a typical day in the lives of married and expectant teachers. To start the day off, I woke up late, but Edward being the sweet and attentive husband and father to be that he is had breakfast waiting for me. As delicious as the breakfast was I promptly threw it all up in the parking lot of the school.

I was immensely thankful when Wednesday rolled around and even more so when my Advanced English12 class strolled into the classroom. It was cool outside so I had opted to wear my leggings with a long sweater dress and knee high leather boots. Most of my outfits consisted of leggings and some cute top to match. I rarely wore maternity jeans because I didn't like the way the elastic band on the front fit over my stomach.

"Feeling better today, Mrs. M?" Mary Beth asked as she strolled into the empty classroom first.

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you for asking. Yesterday was just all sorts of wrong." I told her with a playful wrinkle of my nose causing her to laugh.

She nodded in agreement. "It felt more like Monday than Monday did." She said as other students started filtering in and taking their seats.

I silently walked to the board writing the quiz questions down for them as they all silently got out a sheet of paper and began answering the five simple questions from the previous nights' reading. After the last paper was turned in, I scooted onto the top of my desk with my legs dangling off and crossed at the ankles. "Where did we leave off at?" I asked them with a huge smile even though I knew exactly where we had left off at and what part I was going to tell next. Our one year anniversary and Christmas.

"You and Edward went to Wal-Mart to help Rose because she was scared." Victoria said.

"Ahh yes…this is the toughest part of our entire history together so you guys will have to bear with me through it all."


	18. Disastrous Miracles

**Chapter 18**

**Disastrous miracles**

**March 2005**

Several weeks rocked on and we continued to get the harassing phone calls about three times a week on average. Rose had also gotten a few more notes with blue irises stuck in her windshield wipers when she was at school or around town warning her that she would always be his. It was unnerving to all of us but no matter how hard the police watched us, he seemed to always evade all of us. Since this situation made it clear that Rosalie was the first target and I was the runner up the guys never left us alone for more than just a few minutes. The only reason we were by ourselves right now was because Emmett had run out to pick up a few last minute things for their trip to Vegas, Edward was still at school, and the cops were outside.

Rose, Em, and the girls were leaving tomorrow morning and wouldn't be back until next Sunday so that they could have a little honeymoon and family vacation while in Vegas. Edward had a surprise planned for us on Wednesday and Thursday since that was to be our official three month anniversary and apparently I wasn't privy to the details.

"So are you excited to be getting officially married in a few days?" I asked Rose as we folded stack upon stack of clothes that we were going to have to fit into as few suitcases as possible.

She shrugged. "It's just a piece of paper that I don't really need to tell me that Emmett is my soul mate and those kids are mine. It will be nice for us all to have the same last name finally. I'm kind of the odd ball out here, everybody has the name McCarty besides me." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Rose looked exceptional while pregnant, she sported a pretty good sized bump these days since she was further along than any of dreamed she was. She was twenty eight weeks as a few days ago and looked amazing. Her blonde curls had taken on a more honey color in the past month or so that looked exceptional because they had that natural shine to them. She hadn't gained any weight except for in her breasts and stomach, she was all baby but at least the baby was healthy according to the last ultrasound I had accompanied her to last week. "Last names don't really matter when you truly love someone, Rose. You know that. You and I are sisters for life and our last names are different. Charlie loves you as much if not more than he does me and your last names are different. They don't matter, Rose. You want to marry him because you love him and can't see your future without him in it." I told her with a smile.

She sniffled and nodded. "Yeah, I know, I just didn't want to sound like a big softie."

"I know, but it is my job to call you out on your bullshit." I told her as I nudged her softly.

"Any plans for the week?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I don't know what they are. Edward apparently wants to surprise me." I rolled my eyes heavenward because despite how much he knew I hated surprises he kept doing it.

"Is he trying to get himself killed?"

I just laughed. "He knows I love him too much to kill him and his surprises are normally very good for both of us. I told you about our first date surprises."

She sat on the edge of the bed. "God, I want to go back and have sex in that high school."

I just laughed. "Sorry, I don't think Edward is willing to pull strings with Mrs. Cope again just so you can try to top our fantasy."

She groaned. "I know and that sucks but I bet it was amazing. Are things still good between you two?" She asked curiously because as much as we still talked daily we led separate lives most of the time. She was a fiancée, college student, and mother to two daughters and another on the way while I was a college student living with my soul mate.

I nodded. "Yeah, really good. Better than I could have ever imagined. It's like he knows what I'm thinking and what I'm wanting even before I do. It's crazy and annoying but really nice also. He's not timid with me like Jasper was, it's a great change."

"Does that worry either of y'all? The whole Jasper thing?"

I shook my head. "No. Ever since the wedding I haven't spoken to Jasper or Alice but Edward speaks to him a few times a week."

Rose nodded in understanding. "In my opinion you and Edward make a much more suitable match than you and Jasper ever did. You two seem to just complete each other in ways you and Jazz never did."

"Thanks, Rosie."

"Bella!? Rose?!" Edward called out in a panic as we both heard their front door bang open unexpectedly. I quickly glanced at Rose before dropping the stack of shirts in my hand and high tailing it to the living room.

Something was wrong because Edward sounded panicked and he wasn't supposed to come pick me up for a few hours yet.

"We're right here, Edward!" I called out to him to ease some of the panic in his voice as my own panic began to rise. "What's going on?" I asked as I practically sprinted into his arms which immediately banded around my waist. Tightly.

"Dr. Forrester is dead." He whispered against my hair. "Rose, can you turn on the TV? Any channel will work, the school campus is covered in reporters and cops at the moment." He said as he rocked me gently side to side as he repeatedly ran his hands up and down my back and placed kisses to the top of my head. I vaguely heard Rose gasp as she collapsed onto the couch in shock as the news anchor talked on the television.

"Lizzy." Rose mumbled quietly as her eyes were glued to the TV as the reporter came on.

"… got the confirmation from Mercy Hospital that the lone victim left in the school has succumbed to his injuries. It is unclear yet whether foul play was at hand here or not. The local fire departments are still trying to contain the blaze within the school. We will now return you to the studios until we have further information."

I pulled back and looked at Edward wide eyed. "Oh my God, Edward. Were you in the school? Are you hurt?" I asked him as I frantically ran my hands over his arms, face, and back.

He shook his head. "I'm fine, baby. I pulled up just as the building burst into flames. Officer McNally spotted me and pulled me aside questioning my presence at the school. When I told her that I was observing Dr. Forrester and had first dibs on his job after graduation she immediately got curious and began questioning me. She explained that Dr. Forrester was found unconscious on the floor of his classroom by the fire fighters as they cleared the building because of the smoke coming from the basement. He has a suspicious head wound that they think led to his death." He explained as I pushed away from him to push him down in the corner of the couch just as Emmett burst through the doors with a crying Lizzy in his arms.

"ROSIE!" He called out frantically.

Rose immediately stood up waddling towards him and Lizzy who was cradled in his arms with tears streaming down her face. "Is she okay?" She asked as she wiped Lizzy's tears away.

Emmett nodded as he wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders. "She's fine, just worried about her Uncle E. I heard on the radio and swung by to pick her up before high tailing it here. Are you okay, bro? Officer McNally called saying they think this may be linked to us somehow." He said as he sat Lizzy on her feet while visibly breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of everybody sitting in his living room safe and sound. Lizzy immediately sprinted into Edward's arms wrapping her arms around his neck as she sobbed into his chest. She loved her Uncle E almost as much as I did. They had all gotten extremely close during Christmas break and that bond had yet to be broken.

"I'm fine, Dr. Forrester on the hand, not so much." Edward explained as he cuddled Lizzy close to him, trying to calm her down. "Lizzy Lizzy, I'm fine baby doll. Not a scratch on me."

"I saw the fire. Was you at school, too?" she asked once she had calmed down. I then remembered that Edward often saw Lizzy at her school on his way to his shadowing job and she must have thought he was still in the school.

"I wasn't there when it started, sweetheart. I'm fine. Are you okay?" Edward asked her quietly just as my phone started ringing from Rose and Emmett's bedroom. I got up to go get my phone and also to let Edward and Lizzy talk while Rose and Emmett comforted each other.

I saw Officer McNally's number on the phone display and immediately answered with a worried tone. "Hello?" I asked as I put the phone between my shoulder and ear so I could pick up the stack of shirts I had dropped when Edward had scared the shit out of me earlier.

"Bella, where are you, Rose, and everybody else?" She asked urgently.

I stopped what I was doing so I could pay closer attention to what was going on around me because she had me worried with her tone. "Emmett just showed up with Lizzy so we are all at Rose and Emmett's house. Why? What's going on?" I asked her as I heard a loud truck much like Jasper's rumble outside for a few minutes before cutting off.

"We just found Royce's hideout and he knows where Rose and Emmett live. He has been taking surveillance photos of all of you. We think this whole fire at the school was a-" I tuned her out as I heard Rose scream from the living room.

I went to head that way when a cold angry voice stopped me dead in my tracks. "Oh, Lilly, how I have missed you." Royce's voice said which caused me to reach for the bedroom door and shut it very quietly, locking it quickly.

"He's here. Royce is here. He just came in." I whispered into the phone as I stealthily but quickly went to the bathroom, shutting and locking that door also before going to sit in the bathtub pulling the shower curtain closed. I wanted as many walls, doors, and locks between me and the psycho as possible. I was intensely worried about the rest of my family in the living room but I would do them no good out there.

"Where are you? Where is everybody located at in the house?" She asked as I heard her radio squawking in the background.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down so I could possibly help my boyfriend and best friends. "I am hiding in the bathtub of the master bedroom at the back of the house. Edward, Lizzy, Rose, and Emmett were all in the living room which is to the right of the front door with the dining room to the left. Abby, the baby is asleep in her playpen in the living room." I quickly rambled as I heard voices coming from the living room accompanied by screams from Lizzy and Abby, who must have gotten jarred awake from her nap by all the commotion and noise.

"Okay, Bella, do you see a window you can climb out of anywhere in that bathroom?" I heard her ask as I heard movement out in the hall getting closer to the master bedroom.

I took a calming breath. "Yes." I breathed as quietly as possible because I really didn't want that psycho to find me because according to his late night phone calls I was to blame for keeping Rose away from him.

"Okay, I need you to go to it and climb out. I'm right outside what I think is the master bathroom window." She said as I heard a soft tap on the window.

I stiffened in the bathtub. "Is that you pecking on the window?" I breathed quietly as I heard Royce scream out my name from what sounded like right outside the master bedroom.

"Yes." She said quickly.

I quickly pushed the shower curtain aside scrambling for the window as I heard the bedroom door being kicked in soon followed by a pounding on the locked bathroom door freezing me in position of half in and half out of the bathroom window. "I know you are in there, Izzy B. Would you please come join us? It can be like old times." He said as he jiggled the doorknob urgently. "If you don't they will all have to pay for you stupidity."

I let out a yelp as I saw the bathroom door start to give to his persistent kicks and shoves causing me to fall the rest of the way out of the window knocking officer McNally down to the ground. Several things happened at once, Officer McNally shot and Royce screamed out "SON OF A BITCH!" which led me to believe she hit him somewhere.

I scrambled away from Officer McNally as she kept her gun pointed steady at the window above my head. "Are you okay?" She asked calmly as she quickly stood up peering in the window with her gun still aimed and her finger on the trigger.

I nodded and stood up against the house as quickly as I could before she ushered me around to the front of the house where several other cop cars were parked with the cops pointing their guns at the house.

"Mr. King, could you please pick up the phone? I would like to talk to you." I heard one of the cops say into the microphone as Officer McNally led me to an ambulance to get checked out.

Several hours later, it was dark outside and I was getting cold as I sat on the cold pavement leaning up against a cop car as negotiations were still taking place. Royce had let Edward and the girls go about two hours ago saying that they were useless to him. I had refused to leave until Rose and Emmett were safely out of that damn house and Royce was either dead or in handcuffs.

I sighed as I saw Edward sit down beside me. "Here's a cup of coffee, baby. I brought us a blanket too." He said as he spread the blanket out over our laps. "I figured you would be cold. The girls just had a bath and getting ready to lay down." He said quietly as I sipped my coffee, feeling the warmth spread through my veins. The girls were being taken care of by the neighbor who usually watched them when Rose and Emmett had class at the same time or just needed a date night or a break.

"He's coming out!" I heard one of the cops yell causing me to toss my coffee and quickly scramble to my feet.

I slapped my hands over my mouth at the sight of him. "Oh God, Edward, he's covered in blood!" I cried into the night air as Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind. I watched in horror as Royce reached a hand behind his back resulting in several cops to fire rapidly which caused Royce's body to jerk in all different directions on its way to the ground. As soon as the firing stopped the EMT's on scene rushed into the house and quickly came back out with a blood covered Rose on a gurney and a crying Emmett. I tried to rush to her side but Edward tightened his hold on my waist causing me to scream and kick at him to let me go. "Please, Edward, let me go! THAT'S MY SISTER!" I screamed at him.

"I can't do that, baby. They both need medical help right now; we will only get in the way. We will be right behind them on their way to the hospital. I promise with every fiber of my being that we will not let that ambulance out of our sights." He promised me with a firm voice.

I sighed as I relaxed somewhat in his embrace because I knew he was right. We watched as they loaded Rose into the back of the ambulance while Emmett climbed in beside her, reaching for her hand. "Let's go." I told Edward grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the Volvo so we could follow the ambulance that was speeding off down the road with lights and sirens blaring.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Rosie is out of surgery and stable but they had to deliver the baby because of the damage done when that bastard tried to cut her out of her momma's stomach. Why can't any of my girls have an easy way in this world?" Emmett said softly as he walked away from the doctor and back towards us in the waiting room. He had suffered rope burns and a mild concussion from being knocked in the head with a gun and tied to one of their kitchen chairs while Royce taunted him and Rose with their baby as the pawn in the deadly game. He looked like death warmed over but he had been adamant about staying with his new daughter and fiancée.

I took his hand in my own tightly gripping his fingers in nervousness. "How's the baby?"

"All I know is that doctor said she was crying and alive when he pulled her out and that the pediatrician would be with me shortly. We were 28 weeks and 3 days so she has a chance." He said as he sat down wearily.

"Mr. McCarty?" A woman with blonde curls and a snoopy hat on top of her head to match her snoopy scrub top said as she held a tablet in her hands.

Emmett waved her over. "How is the baby?" he asked her as she took a seat beside him.

"She's doing remarkably well considering how early she is. She just needs a little help breathing and eating right now. Her heart is doing very well as are her lungs considering they are under developed. She weighs two pounds, fourteen ounces and is fifteen inches long. The fact that she is a little over 28 weeks is a good thing because she shouldn't need as much help breathing and will probably come off of the nasal cannula in a few days or a week. She won't be able to suckle for a few weeks yet so the feeding tube that is run down her nasal passage and into her tummy will have to stay until we can wean her off of it completely. She has a camera installed in her incubator so you can see her 24/7 while she's in there. You can actually touch her also and I will give you the schedule of her care and a list of her nurses and phone numbers." She explained as she handed him the tablet she was holding. "This is her right now." She said pointing to a tiny baby on the tablet screen that brought tears to Emmett's eyes.

"She's going to be okay?" He whispered, his voice husky because of his tears.

"She is a strong fighter so she should be fine. There are no guarantees in life but as of right now she is not in any immediate danger. It looks like she will make it through all of this just fine." The doctor said as she started to stand up. "Would you like to go see her while we wait on her momma to wake up from her surgery?"

While Emmett went with the doctor to see the baby Edward and I headed for the cafeteria and snack machines. "Are you okay?" Edward asked me quietly as we walked down the empty sterile hallways of the maternity ward.

I looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, I just hope everybody comes out of this okay." I said as we stepped into the snack room. "And I'm grateful that you and the girls weren't hurt."

"You just have to believe, Isabella, just believe in all of them and they will come through all of this like a champ." He said as he hugged me tightly to him as my own tears began to fall.

I hugged him tightly as I sobbed into his chest quietly. "I love you, Edward." I whispered softly. "Life is so fragile, and we have had way too many close calls recently. I just want our normal, hospital free lives back."

"I know, baby, I know. We will have all of that once Rose and the baby come home." He said against the top of my head.

"Jacqueline Marie McCarty." I heard behind us causing us to come apart and whirl to face a tear stained face Emmett.

I rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly. "It's beautiful, Em. How does she look?" I asked him as he wrapped his arms around me for a comforting hug.

"She gorgeous, but so very tiny and hooked up to a lot of machines." He said quietly. "Rose is awake and asking to see us all."

I nodded. "Okay, let's go see her then." I told him as the three of us left the snack room without getting anything at all but a little comfort from each other.

"Hey sissy." I told Rose as I walked slowly to her bed.

She smiled slightly at me just before tears began pouring out of her closed eyes. I rushed to her bed and gripped her hand tightly in mine. "Hey now, it's gonna be okay." I reassured her quietly.

She nodded as she opened her red rimmed eyes. "That sick bastard tried to cut my precious innocent baby from me, sissy. If anything happens to her I will cut his balls off and feed them to him piece by piece." She said vehemently.

I smiled. "He's dead, sissy, he can never hurt any of us ever again." I told her with a bright smile.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God. What are we gonna do about our house, sissy? I can't go back there, I just can't do it, Bella, I just can't." She said shaking her head side to side getting herself worked up.

"Hey, you don't worry about your house. You need to calm down and let me and the family from Washington handle all of the tiny details." I told her reassuringly. "Charlie said he would round everybody up and they would be on the first flight out."

She nodded. "Okay, thank you for everything. Tell them all I said thank you, please." She said as she let a yawn slip out.

"Why don't you get some sleep and we will chat again tomorrow?" I asked her as I leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead.

She nodded and smiled. "Will you send Em back in please?"

"Absolutely. I love you, sissy."

"I love you too, sissy."

Edward and I left the hospital and headed straight for home and fell straight into bed after the exhausting day we had had.

Our spring break was spent securing a new house for Rose and Emmett while they coped with everything going on with baby Jacqui. Edward's plans for our three month anniversary was pushed back until a later date so that we could return the favor of setting up our apartment while he was in the hospital.

Rose was adamant that she didn't want to live in an apartment because she wanted the girls to have a yard to play in and their own bedrooms so we got them a house in a secured subdivision that was guarded like our apartment was. Even though Royce was dead we were all still cautious of our surroundings now that we had all gone through this hellish ordeal. Rose had cried like a baby when she walked into the door of her new house the Saturday before we were set to return to classes, she would be taking hers online for the time being while she was still recovering and Jacqui was in the hospital.

"It's beautiful, sissy. Thank you guys so much." She said as she wrapped her arms around me hugging me tightly.

I just sniffled as I squeezed her tightly to me. "It was our pleasure, after all you guys mostly set up our apartment too. Esme, Carlisle, and Charlie helped a lot also." I told her pointing to where we could see Esme in the kitchen cooking lunch while Carlisle and Charlie could be seen in the backyard playing with Abby and Lizzy.

"Where did all of this furniture and stuff come from? I've never seen some of this stuff." She asked running her hands over her new living room suit since theirs from their old house was unsalvageable due to the blood.

I saw Esme smile. "I had it shipped from my storage container in Forks to here, it's what was left over out of mine and Carlisle's old houses when we moved into our new one." She said as she stirred something on the stove.

Rose let go of me and rushed into the kitchen nearly collapsing into Esme's arms. They whispered quietly to each other as Esme wiped the tears from Rose's eyes several time. "Want to go check out the girls' rooms?" She asked which caused Rose to smile and nod.

We spent the next twenty minutes showing Rose around her new house before we all settled down for lunch where the girls were all over Rose in their excitement to have their momma home again. We were nearly all in tears when Lizzy asked where her sissy was but Rose was the one that handled that conversation like the champ that she was.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

That Saturday morning I was woken by an amazing aroma wafting all around me, coffee, strawberries, and sausage. "Mmmm…" I mumbled sleepily as I tried to drag my heavy eye lids open so I could find out what was causing those amazing smells.

"Come on, Isabella. Rise and shine, sweetheart." Edward sing-songed from somewhere beside me.

I groaned as I blinked my eyes open sleepily. "Morning." I mumbled quietly as I looked at his beautiful face.

"Good morning, baby. Wake up and eat your breakfast." He urged as he pointed to a tray that sat beside me on the bed.

"You cooked me breakfast in bed?" I asked as I pushed myself up against the headboard.

He nodded as he placed the tray over my blanket covered legs. "I did. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't ring in our three month anniversary correctly? It's a few days late but it's the thought that counts. Right?"

I smiled and nodded as I pulled a piece of the strawberry pancake off, dipped it in the warm maple syrup, and then in the whip cream before stuffing it in my mouth. The taste made me moan aloud which in turn caused Edward to groan in agony. "This is so good. You did really good, babe. And yes, it is the thought that counts, nothing else." I told him as I swallowed all the yummy goodness that was my breakfast.

"You are going to be the death of me, Isabella. You enjoy your breakfast while I go set up the other half of our postponed anniversary date."

I stuffed a bite of sausage into my mouth as I looked at him. He was dressed still in his pajamas so I guessed we weren't leaving the house today, which was perfectly fine by me. "There's more?" I asked him after I had swallowed my food.

He nodded. "There is. When you're finished slip into some pj's and come into the living room. Okay?" He asked as he placed a kiss to the top of my head.

I smiled as I took a sip of the creamy coffee that was steaming on my tray. "Okay."

I was blown away when I walked into the living room. Edward had taken my like for all things simple and conquered it perfectly. Sitting in the middle of the living room was his keyboards on their stand that normally stayed either at the college or in the spare bedroom. "You're going to play for me?" I asked him as I wrapped my arms around him as he stood looking out the large balcony doors.

He nodded. "I am because I know you love listening to me while I play and you don't get to do it very often. I wrote you a song also." He said as he turned around in my arms draping his arms over my shoulders.

"You wrote me a song?" I asked as I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist tipping my head up to look at him.

He smiled and nodded. "I did. Want to hear it?" He asked as he slid his hands down my back until he cupped my butt in his hands, much like he had the first time we made out against the side of that club back in Port Angeles.

I shook my head. "First I want you to fuck me right here against these windows."

"I think I can handle that. You don't want it slow?" He asked as he picked me up by my butt causing me to wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.

I quickly shook my head again. "No, I think we had enough of sweet and slow last night." I told him just as I sealed our lips together causing our passions to soar.

"It's a really good thing that Charlie and Ma are staying at Rose and Emmett's to help them settle in." He ground out as he spun us around pressing my back against the glass.


	19. Now 10

**Chapter 19 **

**Now**

"Did the baby make a full recovery?" "How long was the baby in the hospital?" "Does she have any problems now?" These are the questions that bombarded me when I was finished telling of the ordeal we had gone through with Royce.

I chuckled quietly as I glanced at the clock seeing that I had a few minutes to reassure them of Jacqui's full recovery. "Jacqueline Marie McCarty is a beautiful blonde haired brown eyed beauty that will turn 5 this spring break and is in kindergarten over at the elementary school. She wears glasses but other than that she has no lingering side effects or disabilities from her prematurity." I told them with a smile because she truly was a special little girl that warmed everybody's heart.

"Why didn't Mr. M do something fancier for your three month anniversary?" Victoria asked as she leaned into James side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer.

I smiled and shook my head. "He knows better. It was perfect and just us with no outside distractions. I'm a simple kind of girl who like the small things in life."

"You don't like the hearts and roses and candles and romance?" Victoria asked as she looked over at James.

I shook my head again. "Don't get me wrong, Mr. M can turn the simplest and most mundane situation into a romantic one but he doesn't usually get extravagant with the gestures. I don't need the extravagant lead up that we are gonna have to spend time afterwards cleaning up." I told the class honestly which earned a chuckle from all of them. "Okay, guys. Any questions about Friday's act-out?" I asked them as I watched the clock tick down slowly.

I answered a few questions that they had just before the bell rang dismissing them. Edward and I were going to miss all of our after lunch classes because I had a doctor's appointment to check in on our babies. Since finding out we were having twins that shared a placenta as well as an outer membrane we had been having every other week check-ups. At lunch I packed up my stuff, set out my sub plans for the rest of my classes and made my way to Edward's office. I knocked on the door as I leaned against the door to his classroom. "Hey handsome." I called to him as he wrote his instructions on the chalk board at the front of the classroom.

He turned to look at me. "Hey beautiful. Give me a few and then I will be ready to go." He said as he continued to write on the board in his scrawl.

"What are you writing?" I asked him curiously as I slid onto the top of one of the tables in the classroom.

He sighed and shook his head. "These are all of the definitions most missed on the last two tests. They have to look them up give me a definition out of the book, one in their own words, and use it correctly in a sentence."

I chuckled. "It's amazing your students still like you." I teased him as I rubbed a hand across our babies that were kicking up a storm now that they had heard daddy's voice. "At least your babies already like you."

"They kicking?" He asked as he scooted over to start a new row. "And I believe I learned this punishment from a favored English teacher."

I nodded as I applied pressure to a specific spot to get one of their foot or hand out of my ribs. "Yeah. They've been relatively quiet until they heard your voice."

He finally finished his list and instructions for each of his afternoon classes. "That's because they are going to be daddy's precious little babies. Aren't you?" He asked as he leaned down and placed two kisses on my stomach which earned me a swift kick in the ribs.

I shoved him back with a scowl. "That crap is uncomfortable. Stop teasing them and torturing me." I told him as I slid off of the table to stand in front of him.

He placed a kiss against the side of my head. "Sorry, baby. We getting lunch before the appointment or after?"

"After, I'm still feeling queasy from my apples and grapes I snacked on this morning." I said as I rubbed soothing hands on my ever growing stomach.

I chuckled as he wrinkled his nose as he held open the door for me to go ahead of him. "I thought that was supposed to stop once you hit the second trimester?"

I shook my head. "I've read that some women have no nausea at all, some have it in moderation, and some have it their entire pregnancy. Mine's not so bad, I don't feel like I need to find a bathroom immediately it's more uncomfortable than anything." I explained as I wrapped my jacket tighter around me as we briskly walked to the Volvo.

"I'm sorry, baby. I wish I could take it all away." He said sweetly as he opened the door to his Volvo for me to slide into the passenger seat.

I reached up and patted his cheek. "I know babe, it will all be over in a few months anyways."

A few minutes later we were cruising down the freeway headed for our doctor's office when Edward spoke next. "I think we need to buy two more bases for Trystan and Jaylon's car seats."

I raised my eyebrow at him in confusion. "Why?"

"So that we don't have to transfer bases each time we take this car or if I have to take one of them somewhere. It would be less of a hassle, I think." He said as he turned into the parking lot of our OB/GYN's building that was literally across the street from the hospital we would be delivering at.

I nodded in agreement to what he said. "That's a great idea, babe. I didn't even think about that. We should swing by the store and see if we can buy just the bases or if we have to buy the whole car seats."

"Sounds good, we can do that after we go eat lunch. You ready to see our kiddo's again?"

I nodded eagerly as he helped me climb from the car. Our appointment went amazing. Both babies looked great and were gaining weight like they were supposed to. They were still laying side by side, unfortunately though they were laying head to foot so Jaylon was breach at the moment.

As of right now we had a c-section scheduled but we were still holding out hope that Jaylon would change positions so that I could deliver them naturally. We had a due date of June 6th still but also knew that it was unlikely I would make it that far so we were told to stick close to the hospital for the month or six weeks before our due date just to be on the safe side. I was just aiming for the end of the school year, which I thought was a more realistic goal for all involved.

After our appointment we enjoyed a scrumptious lunch at Red Robin's before making a trip to Baby's R' Us where we were able to buy two extra car-seat bases along with some more outfits and stuff that we couldn't pass up. The rest of our week was pretty normal with school, grading papers, and relaxing at home.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"How are you feeling, sweet girl?" Esme asked as she sat in the rocking chair in what had always been their bedroom in our house rocking little Brice to sleep. I was sat on the bed Indian style as I mulled over our baby shower that was happening tomorrow.

I shrugged. "I'm tired and restless most of the time but other than that I am doing great. The doctors say that the boys are growing exceptionally well and right on schedule and that I am doing great too." I said smoothing my hands down my stomach to hopefully coax Trystan to move his little feet out of my ribs.

"That's good, sweetheart. How often are you having to see the doctor since Peanut B is still breach?" She asked as she stood up with little Brice snoring gently on her chest. We had kept the babies names to ourselves to keep some sense of surprise until the end.

I groaned at the reminder of how often I had to see the damn doctors. "Every two weeks for another month then it goes every week until the end. It's already getting old and I'm barely over half way through."

She laughed. "Be glad that you didn't have to go every week from the very beginning and twice a week the last trimester. That is what gets old really quick but I wouldn't trade this little guy for any of it. Him or his sister." She said as she laid Brice down in the playpen in the corner of the room. Susannah had her little bed in the other corner and was already snoozing peacefully.

"I bet. At least I constantly get reassurance that they are both fine and healthy." I told her as I took her hand to allow her to help me from the bed as we walked out of the room.

"That's what I focused on with Brice. Enough about my youngest brood. Are you excited about you baby shower tomorrow?" She asked as we headed downstairs arm in arm.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm excited to see what everyone gives us and the boys."

She laughed. "Besides the baby shower gifts I have some of Brice's old sleepers and onesies and stuff to give you guys also. I don't need it anymore." She said laying a hand on where her grandsons were kicking and stretching.

"Does it make you sad that you can't have any more kids?"

She shook her head. "Yes and no. My four will always be enough. Hell, Edward was enough but God keeps blessing me with more so who am I to deny him that honor?"

I just laughed as we stepped onto the main floor hearing our husbands playing GTA in the living room.

The next day was a fun yet relaxing day that felt more like a normal family get together instead of a baby shower. We ended up with so much more than what we expected but it was all so greatly appreciated. We ended up with everything we needed along with a double stroller that everybody pitched in for. Once it was all over and everybody headed home Esme had Carlisle bring in two huge trash bags full of stuff. "Esme, you didn't have to do all of this. The boys are going to have more clothes than they will ever possibly wear." I told her as she just shook her head and dumped out the clothes onto the pile I was already folding.

"Nonsense, we gave Alice and Jasper a bag and a half full of stuff when we found out Alex was indeed a boy." She said as she folded herself onto the floor beside me helping me fold the multitude of blankets, bibs, clothes, and socks.

"Thank you, either way, it means the world to us even if they don't wear each and every piece." I told her as I added a footed sleeper to an already high pile.

She just laughed. "Trust me when I say that they will wear more than what you think they will."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Before I knew it we were sitting at our breakfast bar eating a bowl of cereal each before heading for school. "What part are you going to talk about today?" Edward asked as he chewed his mouthful of cocoa pebbles.

I sighed as I thought back over our past deciding which part I would share with our students. "I think I will talk about your graduation, renovating Charlie's attic, and Jacqui coming home."

"That was a really good summer. Are you going to get to the good part today?" He asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

I laughed and shook my head. "Doubtful."

"Darn." He said snapping his fingers in mock irritation.

The morning was a typical Monday morning until my AP class walked in with smiles on their faces and a pep in their step. "Good morning, Mrs. Masen. Where are we going today?" Victoria asked as she and James walked into the room earlier than they normally did.

I just laughed as I got comfortable atop my desk. "A really big milestone in our lives together. Edward's graduation."

"He graduated a year before you didn't he?" Michael asked curiously as he shrugged off his jacket.

I shook my head. "No. He graduated two years before Jasper, Rose, and I did. That was a fun night…"


	20. Big changes coming

Surprise! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**MAY 2005**

**Big changes coming**

"Who was that, handsome?" I asked Edward as he strolled back into the kitchen from taking his phone call into the bedroom where he could hear the other person because Charlie had the game going in our living room. It had been seven weeks since the catastrophe at Rose and Emmett's old house and things had been pretty hectic lately with the end of the school year coming, preparing for Edward's graduation that was happening tomorrow, and helping Emmett and Rose with the girls while they split their time between home, school, and the hospital.

Edward sat his phone on the bar as he climbed onto one of the barstools we had placed there. "That was my advisor with a job offer that's out of the ordinary considering my major of music education." He said as he smiled at me.

"Really? What about the teaching job at Providence Prep after graduation once they get through with the renovations and repairs?" I asked as I turned the chicken in the skillet.

He crinkled his nose and shook his head. "The uppity up's at Brown considered my student teaching to be complete under the circumstances and frankly I don't want to go back to that school if I don't have to. Plus, I don't really want to take on a teaching job unless we both plan to settle here permanently."

I nodded in understanding. "I can understand not wanting to go back into that school after what happened but teaching music is what you want to do, Edward."

"Let me ask you this, do you see us staying here after you get out of college?" He asked me as he propped his head on his folded arms.

I shrugged. "I don't know but it's not all about me, babe. Tell me about the job offer?" I asked him curiously guiding the conversation back on topic.

"To be a transcriber for the Rhode Island Orchestra, well one of three transcribers actually, it's only a two year job while one of their transcribers goes on maternity leave when her twins are born in five months. That would take us all the way up to your graduation." He said with a smile on his face.

I quirked an eyebrow because I had no idea what a transcriber was but he certainly did by the energy in his voice, I figured it had something to do with translating something from sound into written form. "The big question here is, are you are interested in the job?" I asked him as I leaned against the counter facing him.

He shrugged. "I never really thought about it until it was just offered to me. It would be perfect while you finish up your degrees and it will provide an income too which isn't necessary but would still be nice." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I do know that I don't want to just sit on my ass for the next two years while you finish up school."

"What about teaching?" I asked curiously because that's what his degree was; music education.

"We'll start our teaching careers together, after you graduate." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Simple."

I sighed as I walked over to the bar, bending down until we were eye to eye. "It seems like you are changing your dreams to accommodate me and I don't feel like that is fair to you." I told him softly.

He shook his head. "That's what a serious relationship is all about, baby. Compromise. We haven't decided on where we are going to settle at once you are out of school so this will be the perfect intermitten job. It will also give us some time to discuss our future plans. It's not all about you but it's not all about me either. This is about what is best for us as a couple."

"I love you." I told him as I kissed his lips gently.

He smiled against my lips. "Love you too, Isabella."

I smiled as we separated. "What did you tell your advisor?"

"That I had to talk to my girlfriend because above my own her opinion mattered the most to me in this entire world and I would get back to him within the hour."

"Sounds to me like you have a phone call to return then." I told him as I turned back to the dinner I was making for the five of us since Charlie, Carlisle, and Esme were here for his graduation ceremony tomorrow. Carlisle and Esme were at the hospital visiting with baby Jacqui while her parents spent some much needed time with their other two daughters. It has been a difficult several weeks for the small family because they wanted nothing more than to see their baby home.

Edward grabbed his phone heading for the bedroom to make his phone call that would secure his first post college job in the music field. "Hey Bells?" Charlie called from the living room, pausing the TV for a minute.

"Yeah, dad?" I asked as I concentrated on dinner.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked as he walked into the kitchen.

After I pulled the chicken from the skillet I turned to face him. "Sure, Dad, what's up?"

"How do you feel about re-doing the house back in Forks?" He asked leaning against the countertop.

"What do you mean redoing the house?"

"Turning your room into a room for the girls would be the biggest change if you are okay with it."

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me, dad, it's your house. My only question is where would Edward and I sleep when we come to visit? You know we are planning on spending most of the summer there." I asked him curiously because the house was only three bedrooms with one being mine, one Rose's, and one Charlie's.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to stay the summer or not but I thought about turning the attic into a bedroom and private bathroom. Carlisle said it sounded like a great idea and he would help out plus he recruited Jasper, Alice, and Esme to help. That would become you guys' room and it won't hurt the resale value if I ever sale the place." He said with a small smile.

"Sell the house? Jasper and Alice are going to help? Another bathroom?" I asked him rapidly because those were sentences I never dreamed of hearing come out of my father's mouth about his house.

"Yes, Carlisle and I agree that it is time you kids all get this anger out of your systems so yes he and Alice are both going to be there. It's not often that I interfere in your personal life or friendships but you and Jasper and Rosie have been friends since you were eleven years old. Grow up, all of you." He said so quickly you would think someone had a gun held to his held forcing him to say the words.

"Okay, dad." I said for lack of a better response. "Why are you talking about possibly selling the house? And another bathroom? You couldn't do that when I asked when I was thirteen?"

"Well, considering how much you two girls loathed Forks growing up I don't anticipate you two settling back there after college so yes selling the house is a possibility in the future. One of these days I may retire and become a full time grandpa, need to be close by to do that." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "As for the bathroom, you are a grown woman in a committed relationship, you two need your own bathroom."

My jaw dropped open at my dad's insinuation of me and Edward doing adult things in the bathroom because he always tried to pretend like we were virginal college students. And the extra bathroom?! Come on, do you have any idea how awkward it is being a teenage girl and having to share a bathroom with your father? Really awkward!

"Really? I didn't ever think you would retire from the force but being a grandfather does seem to suit you pretty good. As for the house, when are you wanting to have it finished by? You know Rose, Em, and the girls are planning to visit once Jacqui gets released from the hospital." I told him because even though Jacqui had rapidly been improving since being born in March, she was still not released from the hospital yet. The doctors and her parents were hopeful that she would be released by the first week of June because June 7th was her original due date. "Seems like Jasper's summer job at that construction company during high school may come in handy after all." I added as an afterthought.

He nodded in understanding. "Thanks for being the amazing woman I always dreamed you would be. I love you, Bells."

I blinked to keep the tears from falling because I just knew that would ruin the moment he was trying to have. "I love you too, dad. Thanks."

He huffed as he went back to the living room just as Edward walked back into the room with a smile on his face. "I got it."

"That's great, handsome. When do you start?"

"October first and I can do a lot of the work from home with the right equipment but the producer and director will provide that." Just as I was spooning the sauce over the chicken breasts Esme and Carlisle walked in through the front door with huge smiles on their faces. Edward had been really trying to give Carlisle a chance, despite their ages being closer together than he would like. He teased Jasper that his father in law may end up being his step father some day in the future which caused Jasper to scowl like nobody's business.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"It's going to be okay, Esme." I told the woman that had been more of a mother to me than my own flesh and blood as she sobbed at the sight of Edward in his graduation gown with his cap in his hands as he walked towards us in the already crowded auditorium. The ceremony hadn't even begun yet and Esme was already in tears. Despite the ugliness of the graduation gown, Edward was still sexy as ever, and by the grin on his face he knew the reaction he was having on me. Having our parents in our home for the past few days had been a bit too awkward for us to have sex like we were used to doing but that was okay because they were all going home in a few more days. Plus, it was just a great way to build up passion and anticipation for when we could be as loud and as raunchy as we wanted to be.

Edward just laughed, winked in my direction, and shook his head at his mother as he pulled her into the safe embrace of his arms. He rocked her gently side to side as he closed his eyes savoring his mother's scent. I found it cute that he was such a momma's boy and wasn't ashamed about it at all. "It's okay, Ma. This is what we always wanted." He whispered quietly into her hair as he shot me another wink over the top of her head. I could only hope that I would have a similar relationship with our children sometime in the future.

She nodded as she sniffled into his shirt. "I know, son, and it's been a long time coming. Your daddy would have been so very proud of you if he could be here with you today, both of them." She said as she pulled back palming his shirt where she had been crying into. "I'm just so happy for you."

He laughed as he picked her up twirling her around turning her sniffles into giggles quickly. "I know, Ma, I know." He said as he sat her feet back on the ground with a kiss to her cheek. "It's was dad's dream for me. To follow my passions as far as the world would allow me. He would be so happy that I have met the woman of my dreams and am graduating magna cum laude from Brown University."

The entire gang took up almost a whole row of bleachers as we all came to cheer on Edward as he was the first of us to walk across the stage to receive his college diplomas. Rose, Emmett, Abby, Lizzy, Jasper, Alice, Esme, Carlisle, Charlie, and myself were all there to watch the momentous occasion. Even though I had forgiven Jasper, he wasn't a big part of our day to day lives anymore and that was okay for the moment. I was glad that he found happiness in Alice but it still stung slightly that she was the woman he had cheated on me with.

"GO E GO!" Lizzy screamed louder than any of the rest of us as she stood on Emmett's knees cupping her hands over her mouth to make it that much louder. Rosalie just shook her head as she bounced Abby on her knees while waving her arms in the air as Edward walked across the stage.

I winked at Lizzy as I watched the love of my life walk across that stage with a huge smile on his face. When he grabbed his diploma he shook hands with the dean before turning to wink at me before kissing the charm on his necklace which immediately took me back to that day he showed me that specific necklace and explained to me what it meant. I ducked my head to hide the blush that instantly spread across my face which caused my dad and Rosalie to bust out laughing at my embarrassment.

"I would love to know why that necklace is making you blush like that, sissy." Rose whispered cheekily into my ear.

I just smiled and shook my head as I twisted my Claddagh ring round and round on my finger while Edward took his seat once again. "Nope, that's a secret that will remain between Edward and me."

"Spoil sport. Just think, Bells, it's going to be us walking across that stage in another two years." Rose said as she leaned into my shoulder a little bit.

I nodded. "I know, I can't wait. Charlie's renovating his house to better accommodate all of us by the way." I whispered quietly.

She looked at me with huge tear filled eyes. "Why?" She whispered softly as she glanced back over her shoulder at Charlie who was talking seriously with Jasper and Carlisle. "Why would he do that?"

"Because we are his daughters, silly. He's giving my room to the girls and turning the attic into mine and Edward's space." I said with a wiggle of my eyebrows. "With our own bathroom."

"He's adding another bathroom? Why couldn't he do that when we were in high school?"

I nodded. "Yeah, apparently it will help with resale value in the future."

"He's planning on selling our home? He can't do that! That's where our lives together started." She said as a few tears spilled over the rim of her eyes despite her constant batting at them. "That's home."

I shook my head. "It's just a house, Rosie, just a house. We don't need it to keep our memories but we can talk about all of that when the time comes. He wants to be close to his granddaughters so he can play the doting grandfather role." I told her quietly as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I'm going to enjoy having my own private bathroom while I can."

"I know, right?"

That simple statement caused us both to bust out in giggles.

After the ceremony was over I escaped our families to go find Edward so I could spend a few minutes alone with him before going to dinner with everybody. "Hey hot stuff, got a few minutes to spare for little old me?" I asked as I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

He groaned quickly pulling me in front of him. "Do I ever! I have a surprise for you. Let's go." He said with a quick kiss to my lips before tugging me through a doorway and down a deserted hallway. The silence was such a contrast to the noise of the auditorium we were in that it was a little scary.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him as I ran along behind him laughing loudly.

He stopped suddenly pushing me against the wall and tugging my legs up around his hips before sinking his hands beneath my white jean skirt causing it to ride up my thighs dangerously close to exposing the yellow boy shorts I had on underneath. "I'm taking you some place where nobody will think to look for us for a few minutes. I need you. Now." He said slamming his lips against mine passionately as he rotated his obvious hardness against my center.

I groaned as I rubbed my suddenly aching center against his hardness that he was rotating against me. "Yes, please." I moaned huskily trying to find the friction I needed for my release that was just barely out of reach. "It's been too long." It had only been four days but it felt like an eternity.

He dropped my legs from around his waist as he reached for the door beside us. "This is the room I told you about. This is where I practiced for my solo senior showcase, it's completely private and the door locks." He said as he locked the door behind us before scooping me up to carry me across the room.

"Perfect." I told him as I coiled my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life.

I gasped when I felt something slick and cool touch my butt because my skirt had ridden up in our excitement. "Is this a..." I trailed off as he nodded.

"It is." He said before sealing his lips to mine as he stepped between my legs, placing my feet on the keys of the piano I was sitting on sending out a chaotic noise into the room. This had been a fantasy of mine ever since he took me to 'Middle of Nowhere' back at Christmas, which I had shared on Valentine's Day.

"Are we…?" I asked as I tugged him between my spread legs.

He nodded. "We are."

It was a quick and frenzied but perfect coupling between us to ring out the end of Edward's college days. I just hoped that we would be able to ring out the end of my college days in an equally satisfying way but maybe using one of Edward's hot librarian fantasies he had told me about.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"I like the idea of leaving the beams exposed and staining them a dark color." I said as Esme, Alice, and I faced off with the men in the partially completed attic a week after Edward's graduation. Jasper, Charlie, Carlisle, and Edward stood on one side in similar poses with their feet spread and arms crossed over their chests while us women stood a few feet in front of them with our feet apart and hands on our hips. We were arguing over design plans for the recently cleaned and gutted attic. Esme, Alice, and I had taken over the job of getting everything out of the attic while the guys laid new plywood floors down over the ceiling rafters of the second floor and got the plumbing roughed in for the bathtub, sink, and toilet.

Before beginning the renovations on the attic space Jasper, Alice, Edward, and I went down to La Push beach and talked things over. Jasper admitted that the way he handled things was very shitty. Not just the cheating on me part but also forcing Edward to keep quiet about his feelings towards me all these years. We were in a much better place when we left that than when we had arrived on it although Jasper had left with a black eye. I think we were all anxious about spending the summer together but also hopeful that this could be the turning point in our relationships. Jasper and Alice were staying at Carlisle and Esme's house back in Port Angeles while Edward and I were staying at Charlie's as was Rose, Em, and their girls when they got here in a few weeks.

Alice, like Esme, had a knack for making a space feel comfortable and cozy. The three of us had a plan to go shopping for everything from flooring to paint colors to furniture to bathroom tile while the guys did the hard labor. Once Esme and I explained to Alice what mine and Edward's style was and what we were aiming for she was all gung ho on helping to make it come together perfectly.

"We are going to have to cover the roof boards with insulation and drywall but that will still leave most of the beams exposed for you." Carlisle said as he measured the rafters. "Will that work?" He asked looking at me, Edward, and Charlie since it was Charlie's house and mine and Edward's room for the time being.

Edward and I shrugged and looked at Charlie because it was his house and mostly his budget even though Edward and I had offered to help with the costs. "I don't care, I probably won't ever come up here." He said as he went to put some more of the insulation up against the roof boards apparently tired of all the bickering and discussing instead of working.

"Are you sure you don't want this room, dad? While the rest of us take the second floor?" I asked walking over to him to help him for a few minutes.

He sighed and shook his head. "No, sweetheart, my knees won't take coming up and down those attic stairs multiple times a day plus I've been in that same bedroom for over forty years." He said as he pulled me into a hug. "This is all for you, Rosie, and the girls." He said as he kissed me on the side of the head.

I nodded as I kissed him on the cheek before walking back over to where Alice and Esme were poised over Alice's computer. "Will you two please take it easy on the shopping? Esme, you know how much I hate shopping of any kind." I pleaded with them as I watched Edward walk over to Charlie and begin whispering before they both looked at me, smiled, and descended the stairs down into the main part of the house.

"Why do you not like shopping, Bella?" Alice asked with a confused look on her face.

I shrugged. "Being raised by my father all my life could have something to do with it. We never went to any store beside the grocery store or dollar store unless it was urgent. I got my first taste of shopping when I went with Rose and her mom one time when I as about nine years old and I didn't like it at all." I explained as Esme wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

"You are perfect even though you don't like shopping." Esme whispered into my ear.

I nodded as we both looked at Alice who had tears in her eyes. "Where was your mother? Did she die when you was a baby too?"

I shook my head. "No, she just left when I was a few weeks old. Esme became the mother I never had when she and the guys came barreling into my life unexpectedly." I told her with a smile because I just realized in that moment that Alice and I had more in common that I had ever thought possible. We were raised by single fathers and without our mothers.

"Oh, I had no idea."

I raised my eyebrow in confusion because I had been sure that Jasper would have told her that much at least. "Jasper never told you about any of that?"

She shook her head. "Nope, said if you wanted me to know then you would tell me in your own time."

I sighed because that sounded like my best friend. "He's a great friend like that."

"Yeah, he is." Alice agreed.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

A little over a week after Edward and I had gotten to Forks I got a text message from Rose that made all of our day.

**SHE'S COMING HOME TOMORROW IF SHE CAN PASS CAR SEAT TEST!**

"EDWARD! DAD! ESME!" I hollered as I raced into the house with my cell phone clasped tightly in one hand and lunch in the other. I had run out to the diner to get us all something to eat for lunch while everybody else worked on the room remodels.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked concerned as he nearly tumbled down the stairs in his urgency to get to me.

I shook my head. "Nothing's wrong, things are actually pretty great. Jacqui gets to come home tomorrow if she can pass her car seat test in the morning."

Before I knew what was happening Edward had me swooped up in his arms twirling me around the living room while my dad and Esme hugged each other on the stairs. "That's amazing. When will they be able to come home?" Charlie asked once we had all settled down.

I shrugged and sent a text to Rose. "I don't know, I didn't ask any questions. I had just gotten the text right as I was walking into the house." I explained as I tapped out a quick message to Rose.

**Papa Charlie wants to know when you guys are coming home?**

**Won't be for at least two weeks but possibly even longer.**

**Why?**

**Because she was a preemie and still needs the heart/breathing monitor for at least two weeks.**

**Oh ok. I will tell everybody. Congrats and good luck. We all miss you guys!**

**We miss you too!**

Once my texting conversation was over I relayed it to rest of the room who all groaned and cheered at the same time. "Well that gives us a few more weeks to get their rooms straightened out." Esme said with a smile. "I can't wait!"

I groaned because I just knew that it meant more shopping was on the horizon and I had had my fill of anything associated with shopping in the past week. I couldn't wait until our room was ready for us to move in because we desperately needed some alone time away from all of the parentals and family. "Great." I deadpanned as Edward pulled me down into his lap as he sat in the corner of the couch.

"Still need to buy some more furniture in here." Charlie grumbled as he shot me a wink and a smile as I snuggled into Edward's chest.

Charlie and Esme meandered their way into the kitchen with our now remembered lunch in their hands. "Are you hungry, baby?" Edward asked against the top of my head.

I nodded but tightened my grip on him because I couldn't fathom moving at the moment. "In a few minutes. Please." I begged him quietly as I felt my breathing begin to match his as we settled into our moment alone.

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too, handsome." I whispered before placing a gentle sweet kiss to his throat.

"Don't make me arrest you again, son." Charlie's voice said playfully from the doorway of the living room.

I didn't move but I felt Edward tense momentarily underneath my body. "For what? And you would really upset your daughter like that? Shame on you, Charlie." Edward said playfully causing me to giggle into his chest as my dad huffed and puffed in annoyance.

"You two stop canoodling on my couch and come eat your lunch." He said before we heard his footsteps retreating back towards the kitchen.

I pushed up off of Edward's chest. "Did my dad really just say canoodling?" I asked as I climbed from his lap which in turn caused him to groan as my butt left his prominent erection that had formed at our closeness.

"I believe so. Who knew that the chief knew what canoodling was?" He asked as he stood up adjusting himself as he did so.

I just shrugged my shoulders and headed for the kitchen, our parents, and our lunch. "Canoodling, dad?" I asked half way through my burger and fries.

He smiled and nodded as he sipped on his milkshake. "Yep, how you like that? You old dad can still hang with you youngsters."

Edward and I just busted out laughing because the word canoodling had went out some time in the late 90's or early 2000's. "There's really no need to try to hang with us youngsters as you put it. We like you just the way you are, dad." I told him trying to spare all of us from his ability 'to hang' with us. That would actually require him to embrace technology and I still didn't see that one happening any time soon.

* * *

So...what did you guys think?


	21. Now 11

**Chapter 21**

**Now**

"Is your dad still anti-technology?" James asked which earned him a slap to the back of the head by Victoria. Those two reminded me so much of Emmett and Rose it wasn't even funny. It wasn't uncommon to see Victoria put James in his place by slapping him somewhere. The principal had gotten tired of reprimanding her for it because James always caused a ruckus saying that she did it out of love and it was a sign of affection in his eyes.

I had to laugh at his question because despite living in the world of amazing technology my father had yet to embrace the trend. I found it hilarious that his young granddaughters knew how to work more electronic devices than he did. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered Lizzy showing Charlie how to play Angry Birds for the first time. "Yes, he still has a standard flip phone even though it's not the same one he had when I was still in college. He still doesn't get the point of texting. He still has a house phone that if you really want to talk to him you will call him on because he rarely answers his cell phone. He's not as bad at the computer and internet as he used to be because his granddaughters have made sure of that." I told them with a small giggle of my own.

"You seem like you love him very much, Mrs. Masen." Mary-Beth said observingly.

I nodded again as I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. "I do. It was just my dad and I for years until Rose entered our lives and then she became my sister and another daughter to him. Even after Esme, Jasper, and Edward entered our lives I still set time aside to have some quality father/daughter time. We would spent hours in the boat on the lake with me reading a book while he fished or I would go to work with him and do research on the computer for him. I wouldn't change it for the world though, I am not ashamed to admit that I am a daddy's girl."

That caused all of them to laugh out loud at my expense. "Enough about me, do you guys have any questions about the assignments for this week?"

They all shook their heads just as the bell rang. "See you guys tomorrow!" I called as they all left the room.

Later that afternoon a thought occurred to me as Edward and I were eating a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream after dinner. "What if the doctor's got the sexes of the babies wrong in the ultrasound?"

"What?"

"I think we should have an alternate girl and boy name just in case the doctors are wrong." I told him as I slipped the spoon into my mouth savoring the flavors as they exploded on my tongue.

Edward just shook his head. "Okay, if you say so but it was pretty clear on the ultrasound pictures. Plus they are identical twins so if he got one wrong then both would be wrong."

"What about Gracelyn Marie?" I asked between bites of deliciousness.

He scrunched his nose up as he shook his head. "Maybe Gracelyn Rose instead?"

I smiled because that sounded perfect together. "I like it. Madison Marie?"

He shook his head quickly at that suggestion. "No. I don't like it at all. Adrianna Marie?"

I shook my head no at that one. "No, too similar to Ari's name. Isabella Nicole?"

"Ainsley Isabella."

The smile that spread across his face gave him away before he could voice his opinion on the name. "I like it. They are beautiful names, like their momma, but I fear we won't get to use them at all. Maybe next time." He said winking at me.

I just rolled my eyes at him. "Okay so we have four names for two babies. First choices are Jaylon Charles and Trystan Edward with our follow up choices being Gracelyn Rose and Ainsley Isabella."

"Sounds good to me but I don't think we will need them. Those ultrasound pictures were pretty clear."

"You never know what can happen."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Wednesday came before I knew it and I was excited about school because it was that time in the story for Jacqui's homecoming, Edward's proposal, and my acceptance. "What's got you so giddy this morning?" Edward asked as I practically skipped down the stairs in my excitement.

"Your proposal and my acceptance!" I told him as I danced my way into the kitchen to fix us a quick breakfast of fruit salad and scrambled eggs.

"You mean the one that just came to fruition less than a year ago?" He asked as he slid onto a barstool.

I just laughed. "It's not my fault that anything and everything kept going wrong on every date that we set." I told him as I cracked eggs into a bowl.

"Oh, I know. I don't think anybody has the kind of luck with wedding dates that we did. Hell, even eloping didn't work for us!" He said sweetly. "But in the end it all worked out beautifully."

I smiled and nodded. "It did indeed turn out beautiful and perfect just like the proposal was all those years ago." I told him as I poured the beaten eggs into the heated skillet.

Edward walked up behind me until he was flush with my back pressing his aching erection into my lower back. "Edward…"I said trailing off into a whisper as I slid the skillet of eggs off the burner, turning the burner off.

"Mmhmm." He said as he tugged my dress up until it was bunched around my hips. "You want to?" He asked as he stroked the bare skin of my hips under the edges of my underwear. Since I was wearing a satin like dress I had one of my thongs on to prevent panty lines.

I groaned as I pressed my hips back against his seeing some form of friction. "Please hurry and don't make us late." I told him urgently as he tugged my thong to the side so he could have access to my heat. I heard the distinct sound of his zipper unzipping just before he filled my heat with his length.

"Hold on tight, baby." He said as he placed my hands on the edge of the countertop as he bent us forward.

I couldn't help but laugh as we rushed as quickly as my five and a half month pregnant self could. Which I promise wasn't that fast since I now felt like I had a beach ball stuffed under my clothes. Edward looked amazing as always while I felt frazzled even though he had told me all the way to the school that I didn't look it.

"Love you!" I called out to Edward as he sprinted down the deserted hall towards his classroom.

"Ditto!" He called out as he sprinted around the corner that led to his section of the building. I took a deep breath as I ran my hands through my hair before pulling the door to my classroom open to face the firing squad.

I couldn't stop the blush that spread across my entire body as my juniors whistled at me as I sat my bag down on the desk, three minutes after the bell had rung. We had heard the bell when we first entered the building from the parking lot. "Don't start." I admonished them as I pulled the book we were covering from my bag. "Open your book to page 247. Lisa, you start up where we left off, please." I asked as I climbed atop my desk.

It was a relief to be able to actually catch my breath when my advanced English 12 kiddos walked in the door a few hours later. "Rough morning?" James asks as he walked in the room with his arm slung around Victoria's shoulders.

I sigh loudly. "You have no idea." I told him because getting to school late had made for a haggard morning that apparently made the babies upset or something because they have been making me queasy all morning.

"Oh, I think we all have some idea." James snickered as he and Victoria settled into their seats. Apparently mine and Edward's hectic and late entrance to school this morning had made its rounds which wasn't unusual. The students and faculty had an uncanny interest in our lives so we were often the center of the gossip around the halls. That was partly our fault because we had been caught by both faculty and students either kissing or having our hands touching in some way.

I just laughed. "I have no doubt about that, James." I said feeling my stomach roll like it had been doing for the past half hour or so.

"You are looking a little green around the edges there, Mrs. Masen. Do I need to go get Mr. M?" Mike asked as he walked in the room.

I just laughed. "Even though you guys think he has some sort of super human powers he can't take away the queasiness that his children are causing with a look or snap of his fingers. It's his fault I wasn't able to finish my breakfast this morning." I snapped as an afterthought. Because of Edward's sexual prowess this morning the eggs and fruit salad never got finished so I had to settle for a glass of milk and a granola bar on the way to school. But I wasn't complaining because despite the nausea fluttering around in my stomach my body was still humming in appreciation to our lovemaking in the kitchen this morning.

That caused all of my students to laugh. "Here you go, Mrs. Masen, my mom sent these for you. She said that they may help with the queasiness you are constantly battling. She said something about making them with real ginger root and chocolate to make them taste better." Mary-Beth said handing me a little metal tin filled with the cookies.

I cautiously took one out sampling a tiny bite of one and it was actually pretty good. They didn't look or taste like normal ginger snaps. "Thanks, Mary-Beth. Tell her I said thank you also." I told her as I took a bigger bite of the cookie closing my eyes to savor the amazing taste.

"Okay, will do." She said as I hopped off the desk handing them the short five question quiz they were taking today.

Once all the papers were passed out I hopped back up on my desk. "Okay, finish the quiz then we will get onto story time. Please use full complete sentences." I instructed them as the sound of their pens and pencils scratching against the paper filled the room.

When I had the last quiz on a neat stack beside my legs Mary-Beth wasted no more time. "What part are you going to talk about today?" She asked as she pulled out the leather bound journal that was filling up rather quickly.

I just chuckled at her enthusiasm. "We're going to finish out our first summer together." I told them all with a smile.

"Did you go anywhere special that summer?" Victoria asked curiously.

I shrugged. "It all depends on what you consider special. Like I told you earlier, Edward can take the most normal and mundane situation and turn it into a romantic one. He gave me the biggest shock of my life up until that point while were just relaxing in our attic oasis." I said letting the memories take over.


	22. Coming home

Thanks for the few reviews that I got...it's a great inspiration to keep writing and finish this story. I will admit that work keeps me from writing as much as I would like but as of right now I can't make a living from my writing so a normal job is necessary.

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**Coming home…**

**July 2005**

By the time Rose, Emmett, and all three girls joined us in Forks, the bedroom conversions were finished and we were officially settled into our new bedroom and bathroom up in the attic. "Are you excited to see them?" Edward asked as we lay across our bed waiting on Rose and Emmett to get here. They had called about an hour ago saying they had just landed in Seattle and would be there shortly.

I nodded against his stomach. "I am, it will be good to see baby Jacqui outside of the NICU windows." I said softly as some of Edward's recorded piano compositions played in the background.

"Does all of this make you want kids?" He asked out of the blue.

I shook my head. "Not really. I've always wanted kids but am leery because of what happened with my mother but Rose had shitty parents too." I said as I stared at the ceiling of our bedroom. "But at least hers stuck around longer than my mom did."

The room had turned out beautifully with the exposed roof rafters stained a dark mahogany color while the walls were painted a light gray. It was absolutely huge up here too because we had the run of the entire house even though the sides were sloped but dad had come up with the brilliant idea to line both side of the room with bookshelves for extra storage with our bed at one end of the space and our bathroom at the other end, literally on top of the bathroom downstairs and the laundry room/kitchen on the main floor. With the shelves running the entire length of the house on both sides there was no need for dressers or anything. Our closet was built butting up to our bathroom so that it was all straight lines and seemed like it had more space than it probably actually did.

"Ever thought that maybe having that experience will make you an even better mother? Speaking of your mother, have you thought about trying to find her?" He asked quietly as he ran his fingers through my hair.

I shook my head. "No, I figure if she really wanted to know anything about me then she knows where Charlie lives and the house phone number is still the same. It's not like Charlie was hiding me from her or anybody else. I mean he took out a full page ad in the newspaper when Rose and I got our scholarships to Brown." I told him with an exaggerated roll of my eyes.

We didn't say anything else for a few minutes until I really began wondering if he wanted kids because he was so good with Rose and Emmett's three. "Does it make you want to have kids?" I asked as I rolled over to straddle his hips with my hands flat on the bed beside his head as his hands went to my hips automatically. This was one of my favorite positions because it gave me most of the control. I used to say all the control but he proved to me a long time ago that he can still control things while he is on the bottom.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes and no. Yes because I would love to have children one day and no because I see how much they struggle with splitting their time so much. I want to be settled into a job and maybe have a permanent home before bringing kids into the world." He said as he reached up to touch his lips gently to my own. "I would love to have some brown eyed beauties with you one day though." He whispered right against my lips.

I smiled as I essentially laid down on his chest. "Unh uh…I want green eyed angels with you one day."

He wrapped his arms around me as he rolled us over so that he was on top of me with his hands resting on either side of my head and my legs wrapped around his hips. I was ever grateful for the queen size bed we had put up here instead of the full size we had shared over Christmas break and the few weeks we had been here during the renovations. "Marry me?" He whispered right against my lips.

"Say what?" I asked as I reached up threading my fingers through his hair tugging his head back a little so I could see his face. There wasn't any flicker of amusement or playfulness anywhere on his face.

He smiled broadly at me as he essentially did a push up over my body so that he could look at me full on. "I had this whole big elaborate proposal planned for when we shot fireworks on the beach for the Fourth but I just can't wait anymore. This moment right here is perfect. It's us." He said as he sat back on his heels digging around in his pocket. "This ring is the same ring that my biological dad gave to my mom when he promised her forever. That's what I am promising you, Isabella, is forever. I will love you and worship you every single day of forever, Isabella Marie Swan. Will you do me the extraordinary honor of being my wife?" He asked as he held out a simple diamond band with a solitary diamond on top. It was simple and beautiful and so very much my style.

I opened my mouth to reply when I heard a shout from the bottom of our attic stairs. "EDDIE, BABY B, GET SOME CLOTHES ON AND COME ON DOWN! WE'RE HOME, HOMIES!" Emmett shouted which was followed by a slap, a yelp, and some crying. All from Emmett.

Edward kissed me quickly on the lips before pushing himself up off the bed pulling his necklace off and sliding my ring onto the chain. "To be continued, I guess." He said with a wink as he adjusted his pants before holding a hand out for me to take.

"Seriously? To be continued? I know what my answer is." I told him as I stood from the bed.

He kissed me once again gently. "I know what your answer will be too but I don't want your answer when our friends and family are right downstairs. I'll ask again and you can give me your answer then." He said as he slipped his necklace back over his head with my engagement ring now resting beside his Claddagh pendant.

"Okay, I guess I can see your point but I would much rather have that on my finger than on your necklace." I pouted slightly as I fingered his necklace that he had tucked back under the collar of his shirt.

He pulled me in his arms tightly hugging me as we swayed side to side. "I know, baby, but let's not take away from Rose and Em's big moment down there." He said as he slowly released me heading for the attic stairs.

I smiled and nodded as I followed him down the narrow set of stairs. "Let me see that beautiful baby!" I called out as I headed down the stairs into the living room with Edward's unanswered question lingering in the back of my mind as I finally got to hold my newest niece. She was such a beautiful baby, even if she was a little tiny for her age. She was a little over three months old and weighed barely over seven pounds according to Rose's boasting and had a dusting of blonde curls gracing her tiny head and bright shining brown eyes that took in everything around her. She had no problem letting you know when she wasn't happy about something though, the one thing that had definitely grown since her premature birth was her lungs.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

The next few weeks were spent hanging with old friends and just relaxing while we still could. Edward and I had visited Pearl and 'Middle of Nowhere' more times than once and had an enthusiastic and loud welcome each and every time. That's where we could be found on the Friday night before the 4th of July celebration on La Push Beach tomorrow night, playing for the patrons as they ate their delicious dinner and enjoyed friendly company.

"Have you ever thought of inviting your mom or even Jasper out here to watch you play?" I asked from my perch atop the piano.

He shook his head as he continued to play without missing a beat. "Nope, this is something special that belonged to just me and now you too." He said as played flawlessly. "No expectations here, just fun. If I mess up it's no big deal as long as I keep playing."

I sighed as I picked up a smothered nacho chip tossing it into my mouth. His proposal question still hadn't been answered, it's not that I hadn't tried accepting it but he kept shaking his head no whenever I brought it up saying that he would ask again one day and I could give him my answer then. I was getting frustrated because I knew what my answer was then and I know what my answer is now and I knew what my answer would be when he asked in the future. The bad thing was that he knew the answer too, and I knew that he knew. He was just being stubborn.

"Has your family ever seen you play so freely and just for fun? Not because you have to or have been requested to or for a grade or performance." I asked with a smile as I felt the vibrations of the strings being played perfectly underneath me. I had been leery the first time he had sat me on top of the beautiful old piano while he played but he had just shook his head saying he liked me sitting up there because I was his muse and he could see me clearly there. So that is where I sat every time we come here now. Hell, I even ate from up there. It was all for fun so why should normal strict standards be placed on either of us? That's what this place represented, being yourself and creating your own normal.

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't think so, mom is always requesting I play this song or that song whenever I'm around a piano just because she likes to hear me play. Jasper doesn't give a shit whether I play or not." He said shaking his head as he transitioned into another song flawlessly.

"That's not what I meant and you know it, you hardhead." I said shaking my head at him as I spotted Pearl walking our way. I waved at her as I smiled from my perch. "Hi, Pearl." I said when she was within ear shot.

She smiled as she reached up to pat me on the leg. "Hey sweetheart, having fun tonight?" She asked as she sat down beside Edward on the piano bench like she always did.

I nodded eagerly. "I always have a blast when we come here, it's so laid back I feel like I could come in my pajamas and be okay." I joked which caused me to get an eyebrow lift from Edward as he continued to play because my pajamas these days consisted of one of his t-shirts and nothing else.

"That was my goal when I opened up this place; that people from all stations of life would feel welcome and at home instead of like they walked into a freak show or uppity up type of place. Are you going to sing for us tonight? Edward here says you have a lovely voice." She said with a kiss to Edward's cheek and a face splitting grin aimed my way.

I groaned because I had been begging off the past few times we had come here because I didn't trust my voice in front of a crowd. I sang around the apartment or house and in the shower just because I could and it was normally because I couldn't get a song out of my head that I had heard on the radio. But I had never sung in front of a crowd before, and the idea of it made me nervous. "I don't know, Pearl. I've never sung for anybody before other than Edward and that wasn't intentional." I told her with a glare in Edward's direction because he was the only one that knew I could sing and also knew Pearl besides myself. And I knew I hadn't told her.

"It will be fine, sweetheart. I promise these people can handle anything as long as you don't screech like a cat getting some action." She said with a shake of her head.

"I don't sound like a cat getting action, or at least I've always been told that I didn't." A shit eating grin spread across my face because I had just figured out a way that I could get what I wanted and so could Edward. "On one condition." I said shooting Edward a big grin which caused him to shake his head and falter momentarily in his playing.

"Name it." Pearl said happily.

I shook my head. "It's not from you Pearl. Edward Anthony?" I asked leaning forward until I was nose to nose with him while he continued to play flawlessly.

He smiled and continued playing. "Name it, sweetheart."

"My answer is yes. Do you accept?" I whispered as I threaded my fingers through his hair cupping the back of his head.

He nodded just before his hands left the keys to stow away in my hair pulling my face to his, sealing his lips to mine. "I accept, Isabella, do I ever accept." He said dragging me off the piano and into his lap.

"Accept what?" Pearl asked curiously.

"The answer to a very important question that was asked and interrupted a few weeks ago. A marriage proposal to be exact." I said quietly as I draped my arms around Edward's neck, reveling in the feeling of being in his arms.

Pearl jumped up quicker than I thought she ever could and whistled shrilly bringing the entire place to a silent halt. "Listen up folks, we have a huge announcement to make!" She called out as she turned to face all the people surrounding us. "My Eddie boy here just got engaged to the beautiful Isabella!" She said which caused me to bury my head against Edward's shoulder. "And she is going to sing for us too!" That got my attention quickly.

Edward shrugged. "That was the condition to you singing, right? Him accepting your answer?" Pearl asked quietly.

I groaned and nodded while Edward took the necklace from around his neck, slipping my engagement ring off of it and onto my finger where it had belonged for a few weeks yet. "Yes." I whispered as I sealed my lips to Edward's. "I love you, Edward. From now until forever."

He nodded as he tugged me so close that his lips brushed mine as he reiterated the softly spoken words. "I love you, too, Isabella. From now until forever."

After a micro mini make out session I was deposited back on top of the piano as Pearl walked back to the bar and Edward got situated on the bench. "Independence Day?" I asked as I took a sip of the water Pearl had brought to me.

Edward nodded and started the first notes of the popular and relevant song since tomorrow was Independence Day for America.

_Well she seemed all right by dawns early light  
Though she looked a little worried and weak  
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again  
But daddy left the proof on her cheek  
And I was only eight years old that summer  
And I always seemed to be in the way  
So I took myself down to the fair in town  
On Independence Day_

Well word gets around in a small, small town  
They said he was a dangerous man  
But mama was proud and she stood her ground  
She knew she was on the losin' end  
Some folks whispered and some folks talked  
But everybody looked the other way  
And when time ran out there was no one about  
On Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing  
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning  
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong  
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay it's Independence Day

Well she lit up the sky that fourth of July  
By the time that the firemen come  
They just put out the flames, and took down some names  
And sent me to the county home  
Now I ain't sayin' it's right or it's wrong  
But maybe it's the only way  
Talk about your revolution  
It's Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing  
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning  
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong  
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay it's Independence Day  
Roll the stone away  
It's Independence day

The entire room exploded in applause as the song came to an end and I ducked my head in embarrassment. "That was amazing, baby!" Edward said as he hopped up quickly tugging me off the piano and spinning me around and around as the people around us cheered us on.

"You know, that looks pretty good there." Edward commented as he fiddled with my fingers over his gear shift a lil while later; we were on our way back to Charlie's from Pearl's.

I smiled as I looked at my newest piece of jewelry. "It does, doesn't it?" I teased him quietly but then I thought about my dad and what he was going to think about finding out this way. "Oh shit! What about Charlie?" I asked Edward with wide eyes as we turned onto our street.

Edward just laughed and shook his head. "Got that part covered, I asked him a few days after we got here while you ladies discussed design plans across the attic space."

I just blinked at him blankly because I honestly didn't know what to say. "That's what you two disappeared for? He approved?" I whispered as tears of joy came to my eyes at the thoughtfulness of this amazing man that was mine to keep forever.

Edward just nodded as he pulled into the driveway of Charlie's house, turned the car off, and turned to face me. He cupped my face in his hands gently. "He approved, baby, everybody approves." He whispered against my lips.

I smiled sinking my fingers into his hair as I slanted his head just before attacking his lips with mine. "God, I love you so damn much." I panted as I climbed over the gear shift so that I could settle in his lap.

He slid the seat all the way back laying the back down a little bit as he smirked at me. "Oh, I love you too and I will love you even more if you will…" We fogged up the windows and sent the car rocking before sneaking back into the house but it was well worth the looks we got from Rose and Emmett the next morning.

"Just what were you guys doing _sitting_ out in the driveway so long for last night?" Rose asked as she helped me load an ice chest into the back of the truck.

I just laughed and ducked my head. "We were talking, Rose. I was freaking out over Charlie seeing my engagement ring and Edward was soothing my worries."

"Sure sure, I'm sure he was soothing something alright." She said as we headed back to the house. The little girls were all upstairs taking a nap while all of us adults got all the ice chests, chairs, blankets, baby paraphernalia, and fireworks loaded into the back of my truck. We were all going down to First Beach for a bonfire to shoot some fireworks with some of Charlie's fishing buddies and some old friends of all of ours.

"Rose!" I admonished her shoving her to the side as I walked through the door into the house.

As soon as the girls woke up we headed to the beach so that we could all play in the water a little bit before the celebration festivities began. Rose and I settled on the blanket that was spread on the sand a little ways up from the water's edge with Jacqui laying between us and an umbrella stuck in the sand to give her some shade. "So…when are you and Emmett going to get hitched?" I teased her with a nudge of my foot as I dangled Jacqui's baby toy above her head so she could try to swat at it.

She sighed. "I don't know, we are so busy with the girls right now that getting married is honestly the least of our worries. We know that we are committed to each other for the long haul so it just doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I wanted to do it in the hospital but Emmett wanted all of our girls to be able to be there so we decided to wait." She said with a smile as she reached down to tickle Jacqui's stomach gently.

I smiled and nodded. "Are you guys going to do a wedding now or just try to elope again?"

"No eloping. That turned out horribly last time. Courthouse? Maybe. Eloping? No. Wedding? I don't know. Like I said though, we are in no big hurry. Not after last time." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "What about you and Edward?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, we haven't discussed it. We just got engaged last night, sissy. We haven't even began to discuss wedding details yet. I'm not in any hurry though and I don't think he is either." I told her as I watched Edward drop a load of sticks down onto the spot where we were going to be having our bonfire in a few hours.

"Don't rush it or get caught up in the details, just enjoy it." She suggested as she looked at Emmett and their other two daughters playing in the water. "We were so caught up in our plans once we got to Vegas that we missed that bastard stalking us around our neighborhood." She said as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

I reached over to wipe them off with my fingers. "What's wrong, sissy? You have an amazing little family, and together you guys have survived so much." I told her softly.

"I can't have any more kids, Bella. That bastard ruined me when he tried to cut my precious baby out of my stomach." She said quietly as she stroked Jacqui's stomach softly. "She is perfect now though."

I gasped because the one thing Rose had always talked about was having a huge family one day. "Oh Rosie, I'm so sorry." I told her softly. "Why haven't you said anything?

She smiled and shook her head. "It's okay, we can adopt when we get ready for another baby. For right now though, the three we have will make us more than happy."

I nodded as said girls screamed "MOMMY!" and charged at us out of the water.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Celebrating that Fourth of July with my family and some old friends and the love of my life was amazing. We had wedding ideas and congratulations tossed our way the entire evening, mainly by Alice and Esme.

Finally, Edward dragged me away to a little secluded cove that I never knew existed in all my years of coming here to watch the fireworks display. "We're gonna be missed, Edward." I told him as I leaned back against his chest as he leaned against the rock behind us.

"So? We have been surrounded by people all damn day and I wanted a few minutes alone with my fiancée." He growled into my neck as his hands slid down my thighs, spreading my legs a little bit. "I am sick of everybody pushing their ideas for the 'perfect' wedding on us. We just need a few chill out minutes, don't you think?"

I gasped as he ran his hands from my knees back down on the inside of my thighs. I could feel the heat from his hands through the fabric of my long dark purple peasant skirt as he slowly caressed the inside of my thighs slowly tugging up my skirt until he could slip his hands onto my bare thighs. "What are you doing? Somebody is going to see us?" I told him breathlessly but made no move to stop his slow moving hands.

"Creating some fireworks of our own, baby. And we are perfectly secluded over here, I promise." He whispered against my ear as he pressed gently on the insides of my thighs edging closer and closer to my center causing me to arch my back against him trying to get his fingers a little closer to where I needed them to be. In all the years that Jasper and I had dated, we had never done anything like this, never even thought about it and for that I was grateful. This was mine and Edward's, and ours alone.

"Edward…." I moaned out as he pressed gently against the soaked fabric center of my bikini bottoms I had on under the skirt.

He pressed a little harder as I tried to rotate my hips to create some much needed friction. "Be quiet, baby, people are just on the other side of the cove." He whispered as he nipped at my neck playfully. "They can't see us but they can hear us if we get too loud."

I nodded as I bit down on my lip as he did indeed bring our own fireworks to the beach. I exploded just as the fireworks started to explode in the sky. "That was amazing." I told Edward as I collapsed back against him in my satiated state. It was then that I felt his amazing erection that must be awfully painful with the way it was straining against his shorts. I rocked my hips against him as he hissed quietly into my ear.

"Easy, Isabella. You are playing with fire, baby." He whispered huskily into my ear.

I just giggled as I rocked my hips a little more firmly against him. "Nope, but I'm going to play with you." I told him as I turned around straddling his hips pressing our centers together while my skirt covered everything from any prying sneaking eyes. "Make love to me right here while the fireworks explode above us. Please." I begged wantonly as I rotated my hips against his.

He groaned but wordlessly reached underneath my skirt to pull the string of my bikini before tugging it off of me. "One barrier down, one more to go." I whispered playfully as I tugged gently on his hair causing him to groan in ecstasy.

"Please don't make me cum before I am inside you." He begged pitifully as he wrestled with his shorts he had changed into earlier.

I chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of wasting it like that, babe." My voice trailed off in a whimper as he lifted my hips suddenly sliding me down over his suddenly free massive erection.

I think our fireworks rivalled those in the sky but I couldn't ask for anybody's opinion because we were both too speechless from the act itself.


	23. Now 12

**Chapter 23**

**Now**

"You really bribed him into accepting your answer to his proposal?" Sarah said flabbergasted at such a situation.

I nodded as I ran my hands tightly down my stomach where my sons were kicking up a storm. "I did. He wanted it to be perfect before he would accept my answer but to me it already was perfect. In the end it all worked out because I got him to accept and we began planning our lives together." I explained quietly.

"So…you got engaged what? Six years ago? What took you guys so long to get married?" Seth, one of my more timid seniors asked. He was normally a shy reserved, head stuck in the books kind of kid. As a matter of fact, I think this is the first time he's spoken without being prodded to all year long.

I chuckled as I pressed a hand against the side of my rounded stomach, one of the babies was pressing a hand or foot up into my ribs now and it was slightly uncomfortable. "Yes, we were married a few weeks before our fifth year engagement anniversary. We actually picked a wedding date for that Thanksgiving but unforeseen circumstances forced us to cancel the date. That particular trend followed us around until this past summer when we just decided to do it." I told them as I thought back to this past June when we had said our vows as the sun set on the private beach in Hawaii while our family stood around watching us with tears in their eyes. I shook my head to clear it as I looked up and smiled at my entire class. "We will cover each and every attempt and failure with much more detail as we continue the story." I explained with a smile.

"Any questions about this week's assignments?" I asked yet again but I had to constantly ask with them doing so much of the work at home or on their own time. But like every day that I asked that same question I got a bunch of negative headshakes.

"Okay, you guys have a good rest of the day!" I called out just as the bell rang.

When lunch time rolled around I strolled leisurely down the hall towards Edward's room. He had probably the biggest room in the entire building but that was because he had a band room that was shared with the choir teacher, a classroom that was also shared with the choir teacher, and a small office. I knocked lightly on his office door before pushing the door open and strolling in without waiting on an answer from him. I found him stretched out on his couch with an arm tossed over his eyes. I sat down on the edge of the couch beside him raking my fingers through his hair.

He moaned as he reached up snagging my hand bringing it to his mouth for a kiss. "Hi." He mumbled sleepily.

"Hi." I whispered back as he turned on his side pulling me down to lie with him. I snuggled into his arms as he wrapped one across my chest and one around my stomach placing our joined hands on our babies.

"Take a nap with me?" He asked tiredly.

At the mention of a nap my body let loose a huge yawn. "Alarm?" I asked sleepily.

"Yep with 10 minutes to spare to eat." He said placing a kiss on the back of my neck as sleep overtook me.

We slept peacefully for twenty minutes before the blaring of the alarm woke up to let us know it was time to eat. After a simple lunch of salad with chicken strips and a chat with our sons, Edward and I went to our respective classrooms to finish out our day.

That afternoon as we walked to the car hand in hand several students whistled at Edward which caused him to blush and shake his head. "What's that all about?" I asked as he opened the door for me to climb in the car.

He chuckled nervously. "I finally gave in and showed them my tattoo."

I laughed because I knew the girls weren't whistling over his tattoo but most likely over his toned abs and muscular back. "Ah, that explains it all." I told him as I kissed him quickly on the cheek before climbing into the car situating the seat belt below my stomach.

"Yeah yeah, this amazing body is all for you, my love." Edward said cockily as he strutted around the hood of the car. I groaned as I laid my hands on my ever expanding stomach. All the females I knew told me that I looked more like eight months pregnant instead of five and a half but I was carrying two instead of one so that could explain it. My belly button had really started protruding this past week and there was nothing I could do about it because I had a feeling it was just going to get worse the further along I went in this pregnancy.

"Your cockiness never ceases to amaze me. What did they think about your tattoo?" I asked as I fiddled with his fingers that were resting on our boys.

He laughed. "The guys thought it was super cool and the girls wanted to take the time to read each and every inscription I have wound through it." He said shaking his head.

"Did you let them?" I asked curiously but already knowing the answer.

"Of course not. Those are personal." He said giving my fingers a squeeze. "Did you get all the way through our drawn out marriage proposal?"

I laughed and nodded. "I did. It may have been drawn out but it served us well. Have you heard from Kat lately?" I asked as we drove home.

He shook his head. "No so I assume she is still in shock from the offer." He said chuckling.

I nodded. "I bet she never dreamed to be a partner in the place. With our boys coming soon we won't be able to get back out there as often so it just made sense to have another equal partner to take care of everything."

"I know, baby, I know. We also know that she will do the place justice cause she loves it just as much as we do."

I nodded in agreement as we pulled into our driveway. The property had taken on a tremendous amount of change since we had moved here. They yards were overgrown when we first moved in here but year after year of hard work had turned it into a masterpiece of sorts. It was a masterpiece to us anyways. I never thought I had a green thumb but working in my various flowerbeds relaxed me and a smile to my face when I got to watch the multiple flowers bloom.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

The rest of the week and weekend went relatively smooth besides a few hours spent hugging the toilet while our children did what felt like summersaults inside my stomach. Since Saturday night was spent hanging out in the bathroom we chose to spend Sunday in our favorite room of the entire house. The library and music room. We had put his piano in the circular part of the room while the square part of the room still contained a seating area for me to read or do whatever I desired in. This weekend I sat with my eyes closed as I relaxed listening to Edward play softly on the piano. He was working on composing a lullaby for our boys and it was the perfect setting for relaxation before our work week began.

"That's beautiful, babe." I told him when he trailed off into silence.

He smile at me over his shoulder. "Thanks, it's almost finished. I just hope it's perfect by the time they are born." He said with a wink as he started playing it again.

"Ha, that's still a few months out so I think you have plenty of time." I told him with a roll of my eyes.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Monday found me trudging through the halls looking about as horrible as I felt. I couldn't get comfortable last night because whenever I laid down the boys would settle in on my ribs and lungs making breathing and sleeping a little more difficult than normal. For the first time in my entire teaching career I sat in my desk chair with my feet propped on one of my open drawers of my desk. This is how my Advanced English 12 class found me.

"You okay, Mrs. Masen?" Mary Beth asked as she walked into the classroom.

I nodded. "Yeah, the boys and I are not agreeing on their positions of choice today but I will be fine." I told her with a smile as I rubbed tight circles on my stomach.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Mary Beth tapped rapidly on her phone as I greeted other students as they walked in the door to take their seats. Today was story day and they were all excited. I closed my eyes as I rested my head on the back of my chair until the bell rang signaling the beginning of class. "I didn't think they were that big yet?" Claire asked shyly.

I shook my head. "They're not but you have to remember that there are two of them in there instead of just one." I told her without opening my eyes. "I will be fine though, don't worry about me."

"Bella, what's wrong?" A very familiar voice asked from directly in front of me as hands embraced my tight stomach.

I snapped my eyes open only to be met with the emerald green eyes of my beautiful husband. "What are you doing here?" I asked wincing as a particularly rough jab to my ribs took my breath away momentarily.

"You students are worried about you which worries me. My little spy said you were sitting in your chair looking a little pale so I came to check on you three myself. The boys being bad again?" He asked rubbing firm circles on my tight stomach which caused Trystan to move his feet out of my ribs momentarily.

"Who is your little spy?" I asked curiously.

He just smirked at me as he placed a kiss to either side of my stomach. "Don't worry about it. Want me to have a chat with our sons before I head back to class?"

I shrugged but was secretly elated. "If you want to. Tell them that mommy has to be able to breathe and to please get their head and feet out of my ribs." I said as I stroked the side of his head as he bent down to have a 'chat' with our sons.

"You two need to behave in there. I know you are squashed and uncomfortable but that doesn't mean you can take mommy's breath away. It's only going to get worse over the next few months but mommy needs to be able to breathe to keep you two in there, okay? Be good boys for me please and cooperate with your mother." He said lifting my shirt to place a kiss on either side of my stomach where the boys' heads were, essentially kissing them on the top of their little heads. "I love you both."

I swiped at my cheeks which caused my students to chuckle. "And I love you." Edward said kissing me lightly on the lips as he stood up.

"I love you too. Thank you." I told him softly with a smile.

He left with a wave to our students and a blown kiss to me as the bell rang. "Okay, I now know one of you is a spy for my husband, which one of you is it?" I asked them as I felt the babies curl back up allowing me a break from all the uncomfortableness I had been under for the past several hours.

They all held their hands up shaking their heads in an innocent gesture. I just laughed at them as I hopped up on the edge of my desk while I was comfortable enough to move around and breathe. "It's okay, thank you to whoever got him down here. It seems like our boys like to listen to him better than me even while they are still in the womb." I said laying my hands back against my desk so that I didn't squash the boys any more than necessary. "Where did we leave off last week?"

"The fourth of July celebration on the beach." Michael volunteered.

I nodded because I knew where we were going next. "We spent the rest of our summer vacation just being together with all of our friends and family. We refused to broach the topic of our wedding with anybody which upset his mother and sister-in-law tremendously but we were determined to have the wedding our way and we knew that if we discussed plans with them then they would put their influence on it. We got our first dose of this reality when we…"


	24. Working through the details

**Chapter 24**

**Working through the details**

We spent the rest of the summer just relaxing and being with family. We didn't talk weddings. We didn't talk school. We didn't talk work. We were just together. Coming back into our apartment for the first time in over two months was a big shock. But a good shock. "It is so good to be back home!" Edward said as he carried our luggage straight to our bedroom.

I just smiled as I sorted through all the mail that had accumulated since we been gone. "I'm just glad Rose thought to hire a woman to come in and clean both our places last week. I could just about imagine what this place looked and smelled like before it was cleaned and aired out." I called back to him as I sorted the mail into stacks of bills, bullshit, and school related until one envelope caught my eye. It was a heavy brown envelope with my name scrawled across the front of it in a fancy script and no return address. I tossed all the rest to the side as I turned the envelope over and over in my hands examining it.

"What's that, baby?" Edward asked as he plopped down on the barstool going through the mail that I had just tossed aside.

I scrunched up my nose. "I don't know but it's addressed to me with no return address." I said showing him the envelope.

"Well open it, silly, instead of examining the outside envelope like it contains some clue as to the contents." He said with a shake of his head.

I chuckled and slid my finger under the sealed flap tearing the envelope open. My face immediately screwed up into a scowl because what I had in my hands was a stack of wedding invitation samples. "I'm going to kill her." I hissed as I opened the beautiful samples onto the bar. "It's Alice and your mother's idea of a joke since I refused to discuss anything wedding related with them over the summer." I told him as he picked up one of the samples to look at it.

"They are just trying to get an idea of what we want for a wedding." He said as he laid the invitation down holding his arms out for me. "Come here, my love."

I walked around until I was standing between his legs with my arms wrapped around his waist. "I just don't know what I want and I don't want to be rushed into anything or make a decision that's influenced by somebody other than me or you." I told him softly.

He smiled and nodded. "I'm not complaining, baby, not at all. I want us to have the perfect day but I also don't want you stressing over the tiny little details. Our wedding day is to be about me, you, and our love for one another. Nothing else. If it takes us six months or six years to get there then so be it. I will deal with my mother and sister-in-law. Don't you worry your pretty little head. Okay?"

I nodded as I cuddled close to his warmth. "I love you."

"From now until forever." He reiterated. "I love you, too."

I spent the rest of the day washing our dirty laundry and putting up all the clean laundry from our summer back home. Later that night, as we were cuddled in Edward's recliner when I proposed my first idea for the wedding. "I want to get married this year, in the next few months."

"Okay, here or back home?" He asked quietly.

I shrugged. "It doesn't really matter but it would make it easier if it was out here because I have school and you have work. Plus, Rose, Em, Jasper, and Alice also have school."

"Okay, so here it is. Any specific month? There is only September, October, November, and December to pick from."

I laughed. "I know. Why don't we knock two birds out with one stone and do it the Friday after Thanksgiving? All of our family can fly out here for the holiday and the wedding and I will be out of school for most of the week so I can handle all the last minute details without having to worry about classes." I rambled out nervously.

"Sounds perfect, baby. Absolutely perfect. Can we wait a few weeks before we tell everyone considering what we came home to today?" He asked quietly as he squeezed his arms around me in a gentle squeeze.

I nodded against his chest. "Sounds perfect to me, handsome."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Over the next two weeks we got all the major details for our wedding settled through a totally unique way that was all us. Every night when we were settled in his chair we would discuss one tiny detail a night.

One night:

"Church or no church?"

"Church but nothing modern. Maybe rustic with a lot of history?"

"Sounds perfect."

Next night:

"Lots of people or just friends and family?"

"Just our immediate friends and family sounds good to me. The more intimate the better."

"Don't forget Kate and Garrett."

"So 17 besides us?"

"Yep, sounds perfect."

Another night:

"Want to do our favorite colors as the colors for the wedding?"

"That's all on you, baby."

"No, it's not. It's your wedding too. Green for my favorite color and blue for yours?"

"Green, blue, and white? Sounds pretty."

"Sounds perfect."

A different night:

"Anybody standing up with us?"

"I think not. I think it should just be us and the minister standing up there since we are having so few people in attendance."

"Okay, sounds perfect."

Another night:

"Doing a reception or just going to dinner?"

"I say just take everybody out to dinner."

"Okay."

Another night:

"Honeymoon immediately after or during Christmas break?"

"We can take a mini honeymoon right after but why don't we wait until next summer to take a big honeymoon? Maybe take a European trip or something?"

"Oooh can we go to Ireland?"

"If that's where you want to go, we can."

"It is. So what are we going to do right after the ceremony?"

"That's a surprise, you leave that to me baby."

"Okay. Sounds perfect."

Another night:

"What kind of cake should we have?"

"We both like strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting, why don't we just do that?"

"We can. How many layers?"

"We aren't going to need that much so maybe one big one or two small ones."

"Two small ones sounds like a good idea."

"Done. Sounds perfect."

Another night:

"Photographer or no photographer?"

"Photographer, these are memories I want to cherish and don't want to count on our family for pictures."

"Okay, I can handle that."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

With all of our details laid out, we decided to call our family and tell them the wedding date and just how things were going to go. Edward and I called his mother first.

"Hi, Ma." Edward said when Esme answered the phone.

"Hi, son. How are things going on that side of the country?" She asked cheekily. That was her way of asking if we had made any decisions regarding our wedding.

I snickered as I leaned against Edward's shoulder. "They're going great, Esme. We set a date." I told her introducing myself into the conversation and also letting her know that she was on speakerphone.

The squeal that came through the phone was ear piercing and caused both of us to groan in agony. "We have so much to do, Bella. Cake, colors, flowers, location, your dress, the guys' tuxes, the girls dresses." Esme prattled on and on.

"Nope, that's already decided on, Ma." Edward said firmly.

I chuckled at the huff that came through the phone. "But Edward…"

"No buts, Ma. This is our wedding, not yours. We just need you and Carlisle to come out here for Thanksgiving. We are getting married the day after." Edward explained leaving no room for negotiation.

"Okay, can Charlie and I at least run engagement announcements in the newspapers here at home?"

I laughed again and answered that one myself. "Yes, Esme I don't expect anything less from either of y'all. We are going to do engagement photos next week and I will send several of them in an email to you since Charlie refuses to embrace technology."

"Okay, sounds great sweetheart. Congratulations you two, you have found your soul mate in each other. I am glad that you aren't getting lost in all the details of it all." She said sadly.

"Thanks Esme." "Thanks, Ma. Love you."

"Love you too. Both of you. Go call Charlie and let him know."

"Okay, bye Ma."

"Bye."

The next phone call was to Charlie and it was interesting to say the least.

"Hello?" His gruff voice asked through the house phone because he hadn't answered the call to his cell phone.

"Were you asleep dad?" I asked him quietly.

He huffed into the phone. "Yeah, I fell asleep in my recliner watching the game on TV."

"Oh, we was just calling to let you know that we set a date for the wedding." I told him happily.

He grunted in annoyance. "You did, huh? When is it?"

"The day after Thanksgiving, you can come out here for Thanksgiving and our wedding the next day. Two birds, one stone." I said using a phrase he often used during my childhood.

He chuckled. "Smart girl. How much is this shindig gonna cost me?"

"Nothing, sir. It's all taken care of." Edward said speaking up for the first time since dad had answered the phone. "It's the least I could do since you are giving me your daughter for the rest of our lives."

"Thank you, son. Just make my daughter happy, that's all I ask."

Edward chuckled while I buried my head in his chest. "I plan to spend eternity making that my goal."

"Okay, well it's about time for the next game to come on." Charlie said wanting to end the phone call.

I laughed. "Hint taken, dad. I love you."

"I love you too, Isabella Marie."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Want to go get a tattoo with me?" I asked Edward a few days after our phone calls to our parents. It was a rainy dreary Saturday with no sunshine in sight and I wanted a tattoo to mark the day we got engaged.

He was lying face down on the bed with me straddling his hips plastering my naked breasts against his naked back. We had just gotten out of the shower when he collapsed playfully across our bed in nothing but a towel.

"What's the reason for this one?" He asked as he grabbed my hand pulling them up to his lips for a quick nibble.

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me. "Our engagement, of course."

"Of course, why didn't I think of that? I've been wanting to get another quote added but I haven't found the perfect one yet." He said with a nip to my fingers.

I groaned as I placed kisses along the massive tribal tattoo that covered his entire back. There were quotes running along the edges that marked special occasions in his life. The last one he had added was a few days after his graduation from college to mark the end of that journey. "What are you going to do with your quotes when you run out of space back here?" I asked as I pressed kisses along his latest addition. It said 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' It seemed fitting because he had complained so many times that last semester that it seemed like the end was never going to get here.

"I don't know but I still have quite a bit of space back there. Maybe extend it further over my shoulders or something when space gets scarce." He said as he shifted his hips indicating that he was about to roll over. I lifted slightly off of him so that he could roll flawlessly. I smiled when his face finally came into view. "What are you thinking of getting?"

I shrugged. "I don't know yet. Maybe a skeleton key with a ribbon that has the date of our engagement written in it." I said as I rubbed against his now exposed erection with my soaked center.

"Again?" He asked playfully because we had just had a playful round in the shower that nearly killed us when Edward's knees had buckled sending us to the shower floor.

I nodded as I lifted my hips before sinking myself down over him in one fell swoop. "Yes again." I muttered as I began to slowly move my hips.

Edward sat up gripping my hips in his hands as I rearranged my legs to wrap them around his waist. "Perfect." He said as he began to thrust lightly up into my gentle rotations that sent me soaring above the sky with a silent scream on my lips.

It was almost two hours later before we actually gained the energy to take another shower so that we could go get out tattoos. "You ready for this?" Edward asked as he parked the car in the parking lot in front of Garrett and Kate's tattoo parlor. I hadn't been back since Jasper had broken up with me but both Rose and Edward had been there since that day.

"Yes, I can't wait to see Kate and baby Brooklyn." I told Edward as he turned off the car.

Edward nodded. "He is an awesome little dude."

I chuckled. "I can't believe she turned out to be a he but I bet Garrett was ecstatic to have another son to help even the numbers out a bit."

"He showed the little dude off like nothing I had ever seen before. He was so proud of him but Kate just glared at him from her spot on the counter every time he looked at her with that look but would bust out giggling as soon as he turned his back." He explained because while he had his quote added after graduation I had been finishing up my finals and had been unable to come with him.

I laughed at the picture he painted as he climbed from the car with the umbrella open. I waited until he opened the door for me before climbing out of the car. "Thank you, kind sir." I said in a horrible English accent as I kissed him quickly on the cheek before we dashed down the sidewalk and into Kate and Garrett's shop. It had taken some getting used to, Edward opening doors and such for me, but he enjoyed doing it for me so who was I to deny him. It was such a sweet and gentlemanly thing that was lost on so many men in this day and age, hell it was even lost to his brother.

"Ah, I see you finally brought my girl to see me!" Kate exclaimed before we had even gotten fully inside the shop.

I blushed as I walked towards her, bending over the counter to give her a gentle hug since she had a baby attached to her breast nursing. "Hi, Kate. It's been way too long." I told her as I hopped up on the counter while Edward came to stand beside me placing a hand on my leg.

She nodded with a smile. "It has. I've heard from my little gossipers that some big things have happened to you since dumping the looser." She said with a wink as she tapped my ring clad finger. I still wore my Claddagh ring on my right hand since Edward had given me my engagement ring.

I smiled and held my hand out for her so she could get a closer look. "It has. It's been an amazing year so far, only to get better though."

She just raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh really?"

I nodded. "Yep, we set a date. The Friday after Thanksgiving. You guys are invited, of course."

"That's great, Bella. What brings you two here today?" She asked as she pulled the baby from her before plopping him up on her shoulder. He was six months old and was absolutely adorable.

Edward smiled as he leaned around me. "To get tattoos of course. What else do you come to a tattoo parlor for, Katie? You keep turning me down for a special rendezvous so I have to settle for getting inked up."

She scowled at him. "Haha, Edward. You wouldn't know what to do with a woman of my caliber."

Before any of us could respond a voice startled us from behind. "Are you trying to get in Eddie's pants again Katie?"

We all bust out laughing just as the baby let out a loud burp. "Nope, I'm done with all men over the age of nine." She said as she handed the baby to Garrett with a smile. "He left you a present."

Garrett groaned as he took his son into his arms with a smile before leaning down to whisper into Kate's ear. I don't know nor do I want to know what he said to her but her facial expression said it all and I definitely didn't want to know now. She wasn't as over men as she had originally stated. "Come on, Baby B, we can catch up while I change this little stinker's nasty butt."

I smiled, kissed Edward on the cheek, hopped off the counter, and followed Garrett through the heavy red velvet curtain. "Don't you two do anything I wouldn't do." I said with a wink before pulling the curtains closed.

"You look happy, baby girl." Garrett said as he laid Brooklyn down on his changing table that was set up in the corner of the room.

I nodded as I hopped up on the table that I got all my tattoos done on. "I am. Happier than I've ever been. We're getting married the day after Thanksgiving. We hope you guys can all make it."

Garrett nodded just before he blew a raspberry on Brooklyn's stomach causing him to laugh and start babbling. "We will all be there. I'm glad you are finally happy, Bella. You deserve it and so does he. That boy has been smitten over you ever since I have known him."

I just raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Really? He talked to you about me?"

Garrett smiled sheepishly at me as he pulled Brooklyn's jeans back up over his onesie that said 'My daddy did this!' on the front of it. "He did. He's talked, bitched, moaned, complained, cried once or twice, and sang your praises. We've spent a lot of time together doing his massive tattoo."

I just nodded. "I bet. I can't believe I was so blind to it all those years but that doesn't matter now. He's mine and I'm his, and that is all that matters anymore. Can you freehand a skeleton key on a ribbon with July, 3, 2014 written on it?"

"Do you doubt me, Bella? Doubt my skills?" He said as he plopped Brooklyn down in the playpen in the corner of the room.

I shook my head. "Nope, not for a second. Kate really is making you pay for getting her pregnant again, isn't she?" I asked nodding at the baby set-up in the corner of the room.

The smile on Garrett's face told me all I needed to know. She was as proud of their baby boy as much as he was. "Let's do this damn thing."

I nodded as I rolled onto my side tugging my shirt up and my pants down. "Have fun with it, Garrett. I trust you to not screw this up." I told him as he began drawing on my side with a marker.

"That's a good girl. I knew I liked you for a reason." He said as he got that intense look on his face.

An hour after I had walked through the red curtains I walked back through them with a brand new tattoo that looked awesome. "Your turn, babe." I told Edward who was sitting tapping away on his phone while Kate worked behind the counter.

He nodded. "Okay, lemme see yours first." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. "You can see it later, go get yours done." I told him with a shove towards Garrett's little room of pain, as he liked to call it.

"Okay, baby. I love you." He called out as he gripped the sides of the curtains in his hands.

I rolled my eyes. "I love you too, you big sap." I called to him. Our interaction caused Kate to laugh out loud as she restocked the shelves of after care products you could purchase after getting a tattoo.

"You two are so cute together. You two will make it for the long haul, I can tell." She said as she took the seat beside me.

I leaned my head on her shoulder. "Thanks, Kate. It's been amazing, like nothing I have ever experienced before. Sometimes I'm so happy that it scares me a little bit." I admitted quietly.

"Why does it scare you? Being in love with your soul mate is absolutely like nothing else in this entire world." She said quietly as she reached over squeezing my knee.

"It scares me because this has the ability to destroy me if it doesn't work out, not that I think it won't work out. Edward and I mesh in ways I could never mesh with anybody else." I admitted softly.

She nodded in understanding. "That's because Edward is the other half that completes your soul. You two can overcome anything life throws in your path." She said just as Brooklyn whimpered through the baby monitor that was sitting on the counter. "Gotta go get my handsome man since his daddy's busy." She said with a smile as she danced through the curtains with a grin.

A few minutes later she walked back through the curtains with a bright eyed miniature version of Garrett in her arms. "He's adorable, Kate. You two did good again." I told her as she sat beside me with the baby in her arms.

"Thanks. Brooklyn you wanna say hi to Bella?" She said as she turned him to face me.

I reached out tickling his tummy which caused a heart breaking smile to spread across his face. "Hi buddy, you sure are gonna be a heartbreaker one of these days." I told him playfully.

He just babbled along as he slapped at my hands every time they reached over to tickle him.

"I see he's won another one over with that smile of his." Garrett said as he and Edward walked out of the backroom.

I had to bite back a groan as Edward was bare chested with his shirt held wrapped around his neck. "Get a room, you two." Kate said as she watched me ogle Edward as he strutted towards me.

"You know if we took everybody up on that we would never leave our bedroom." Edward said as he turned around to show me the saying he had tattooed on his back.

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with a person you want the rest of your life to begin as soon as possible." I read aloud as my fingers traced below the words that rippled over the muscles of his back. "I love it." I whispered quietly.

He turned around to face me. "I love you." He said as he reached forward to give me a gentle kiss.

"Aww…you two are too cute!" Kate said as she leaned into Garrett's side with a sappy look on her face. "Remember when we used to be that sappy?"

I blushed and buried my face in Edward's side. "Thanks guys, we have to get going. I have a surprise for my beautiful fiancée here."

"Edward Anthony." I said in warning.

They all laughed at my tone and Edward's unwavering smile. "Isabella Marie, it is for the wedding and you will not complain."

"What have you done?" I asked worriedly as he slipped his t-shirt over his head.

"Nothing bad, I promise. I think I found the perfect location to have our ceremony." He said with an earth shattering smile.

I nodded in acquiescence. "Okay, lead me away then."

He just laughed as he held a hand out for me. "Bye guys!" We called out to Garrett and Kate as we walked out the door hand in hand.

Edward had indeed found a beautiful church that was over a hundred years old and hadn't been in active use for almost ten years. We eventually tracked down the owner of the church which was the old pastor before moving to the new church up the road that could hold more people. He agreed to meet us and told us that it would be no problem to have the ceremony at the old church. He also informed us that it was a popular wedding spot because of its seclusion in the woods with only a winding road leading up to it that was covered in leaves.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Are you going to be busy this coming Saturday?" I asked Edward while he took a break from his transcribing as I cooked us some spaghetti for dinner.

He shook his head. "Not that I know of, why? Got something you want us to go do?" He asked as he tapped his fingers on the countertop.

I nodded. "Yeah, our engagement photos. I found a photographer that will do unique pictures that aren't just your basic lovey dovey couple photos. That's what we wanted right? Something unique?"

"Sounds perfect and yes I don't want to do the normal 'lovey dovey' photos as you call them." He said with a soft chuckle.

"Okay well we have an appointment with Jennifer at ten o'clock Saturday morning to do the photos. We are going to meet her at her studio before she takes us to a few different locations." I explained as I strained the noodles in the sink.

He nodded with a smile. "Okay, sounds like a plan."

Saturday morning came before either of us realized us because our weeks were so busy with work and classes and just day to day stuff. "You ready for this?" I asked Edward as we walked hand in hand into the industrial type building that was the address Jennifer had given me.

He shrugged. "Yeah, these will be our first professional photos we've taken together. I think it's gonna be fun."

I nodded. "These are the first professional pictures I've taken since high school."

"Me too, baby, me too." He said as he pulled open the door urging me to go ahead of him.

"Hi, Bella. You must be Edward." Jennifer the photographer said excitedly as she came towards us with a huge camera hanging around her neck.

I laughed at Edward's deer caught in headlights look. I nudged him when Jennifer was within arms reach with her hand extended for a hand shake. "Yes, I'm Edward. Nice to meet you Jennifer." He said like the polite gentleman he was.

"Likewise. Well let's get right to it then. Follow me out back please." She said as she turned around heading through the artfully decorated warehouse.

We followed her without a word through the large open door in the back that led to a grassy area with a few old cars, crumbling brick walls, and a set of railroad tracks that looked like they hadn't been used in a long time. "Okay guys I want you two to walk on either side of these railroad rails while holding hands in the middle." She said as she propped up a chalkboard that had 'She said yes once and now I will return the favor on 11-28-14' in the middle of the two rails.

"Okay that's easy enough to do." Edward said as he hopped up on his rail holding his hand out to me as I stepped on mine.

"You want us walking towards you or away from you?" I asked Jennifer as she backed up away from us.

"Away from me but when I tell you to look back over your shoulder with a smile. Both of you." She said as she aimed her camera at me. "Okay start walking slowly down the rails."

We took several photos of us on the railroad tracks. One of my favorites was me being tied to the railroad tracks with Edward trying to untie me with a clipboard propped against my side with 'You save the date while I save my bride! 11/28/14' written on it. We even took some basic cute ones along with the funny ones. Jennifer took us around to several different locations but I think my favorite was when she had us to stand in a field of wild flowers with Edward's arms wrapped around my waist as we kissed but my hand was blocking our lips with 'We're saying Yes on 11/28/14' written on the palm of my hand. We spent the entire day taking pictures and had a blast doing it also.


	25. Now 13

**Chapter 25**

**Now...**

"Do you have copies of the engagement pictures?" Victoria asked when I had finished the story for the day.

I nodded. "Yes but those are for Wednesday's story." I told them with a smile as I got up off the desk with a groan so that I could walk around the room a little bit. My back ached when I sat for too long or walked too much. I was still trying to navigate that fine line of when enough sitting was enough and when I had been standing or walking long enough. "You guys have any questions about the assignments this week?"

"No ma'am." They all echoed just as the bell rang.

"Okay you guys have a good rest of the day!" I called out as they all filed out of the room. During our lunch break, I napped on Edward's couch in his office while he soothed and chatted with our sons. It was sweet and endearing but I was too tired to stay awake to listen to the entire spiel. That little twenty minute power nap was enough to see me through the latter half of my classes.

When we got home that evening I all but collapsed onto the couch in exhaustion. Who knew that carrying twins would take so much of my energy?

"Why don't you go on up to bed, baby? I will fix you something to eat and bring it up to you when it's ready." Edward said as he sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of me stroking my hair softly.

I placed my hand over his as I blinked my eyes open. "You are too good to me, Edward Anthony."

He leaned forward kissing me gently on the lips. "I love you and you are doing all the hard work carrying and protecting our boys. The least I can do is fix you some dinner and serve it to you in bed while you relax."

"I love you." I whispered softly.

He smiled brightly at me. "I love you too, Isabella. From now until-"

"-forever." I finished for him. It had been our saying since we stood on the steps of the church at Alice and Jasper's wedding.

I don't remember much from that evening or night besides Edward waking me up to each a small dinner of a chicken omelet and three strawberries he had sliced and laid in some whip cream.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Tuesday was much better than Monday so I held out hope that the rough day on Monday wasn't an omen for the rest of the week.

"Are you ready to see your babies?" Noelle, our sonographer asked as she squirted a ring of blue goopy gel on my stomach.

I smiled as I gripped Edward's hand tightly in my own. "Yes, it's always exciting to see them again. Even though I can feel them moving around all the time, it's always good to get a peek at them too." I told her excitedly.

"Okay, well lets get started then." She said as she turned the monitor on before placing the wand in the goopy gel spreading it around. As soon as she placed the wand into my stomach the 'thump thump thump' of our sons heartbeat echoed into the room quickly and loudly. "This is Baby A who is still turned breech even though he can and probably will turn several more times before delivery."

I sighed in slight irritation. "Jaylon is always in that position though. Every time we have a sonogram done he's head up feet down while Trystan is head down feet up." I told her as she ran the wand around showing us our baby's face, hands, privates, and feet. We were waiting until we were at least 28 to 30 weeks to get a 3D ultrasound so we can get a clearer picture of their features.

"He looks perfect, Bella. His fluid levels are within the normal range and appears to be growing right on schedule." She said as she scraped some of the goop up so she could look on the other side of my stomach where Trystan was resting. "Let's check on baby B."

Trystan's heartbeat echoed out loudly into the room just like his brothers had just a few minutes ago. "Are their heartbeats the same?" I asked curiously because I had heard that identical twins could have the same heartbeats while in utero.

"Baby A's heartbeat was 153 beats per minute and Baby B's is 152 per minute so very close." She said with a smile as she moved the wand lower on my stomach so Trystan's face came into view.

When we got home I scanned the sonogram pictures onto my computer so that I could email them to Sue and Esme along with an update about both me and the baby's.

_Here are the most recent pics of the boys, they are indeed boys as you can tell by the fourth picture. I thought you would enjoy them almost as much as we do. Doc said everything looks great with all three of us. Go back next week. Jaylon's heartbeat was 153 while Trystan's was 152. Close but not identical. Jaylon is still breech, this seems to be his favorite position to be in but the doctor said that it could still change before the delivery date. Fluid levels are good. Weight gain is right on track. So…take a deep sigh of relief until next week!_

"You get them sent, baby?" Edward asked as he crawled into the chair beside me pulling me into his side.

I nodded closing my laptop before handing it to him to sit on the small table on his side of the chair. "I did. What are we doing for dinner?" I asked him as my stomach rumbled noisily letting both of us know that the boys were hungry.

"What do you three want for dinner?"

"Pizza?"

"Sounds good, baby. I'll go order it while you relax" He said kissing me on the side of the head before climbing from the chair.

I let out a huge yawn as I settled down into my chair resting my head on the arm rest while my one hand rubbed my stomach. "Mommy loves you boys but I am going to be really upset if you don't let me enjoy the pizza your daddy is ordering." I told them quietly as I felt my eyelids start dropping.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Wednesday morning found me having a rare spurt of energy that I hadn't' felt in a few months and I was going to try to make the most of it. I was a week away from being in my second trimester and I had heard that my energy should return in the second and third trimester but until today I had a hard time believing it.

"What's got you so giddy this morning?" Edward asked as I practically danced into the kitchen from my shower. I was wearing a pair of my new white maternity jeans that I had gotten from our baby shower a few weeks ago. I had paired the white pants with my new green and blue horizontally striped sweater and my brown scarf around my neck and my favorite flats on my feet. I rarely wore maternity jeans because of the band that slipped over my stomach but Alice had bought me several pairs of these and the band was soft and not harsh against my sensitive stomach at all.

"Our engagement photos and our house." I told him waving the album in my hands at him.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What's in there?" He asked softly even though he probably already knew the answer to it.

"It's the album containing our engagement announcements and photos that I am showing the class." I told him as I laid the photo album containing the pictures in it on the island bar as I took a seat on the stool.

He groaned. "You are determined to emasculate me, aren't you?" He said teasingly.

I just laughed. "Absolutely not, babe. I wouldn't do something like that. I don't think these photos emasculate you, do you?" I asked him as I flipped open the album thumbing through the copies of our engagement photos from years ago. "I think they show how much we love each other."

He shook his head. "No, I was just teasing, baby. I'm proud of the man I am today. If those high school punks think those photos are anything other than a man showing the woman he's with that she's his entire world then so what." He said as he slid another omelet in front of me. For the past several weeks eggs had become some sort of obsession for me and he was all too willing to cater to my every whim.

"Good." I said as I dug into the omelet.

We walked into the school a little bit before the first bell with our hands swinging between us and both of our bags hanging from Edward's shoulder as he escorted me to my classroom. We both waved at the sub that was still teaching Jasper's classroom until he returned from paternity leave which should be next Monday. He had taken six weeks of paternity leave not including Christmas break. I was super glad that our babies weren't due until school was out for the school year because that would give Edward three whole months to help us all get into a routine before he returned for the new school year in August.

"Here you go, baby. Enjoy your morning. See you at lunch for a bite to eat and my daily chat." He said as he rubbed my stomach that was clearly visible through my snug sweater. It wasn't snug in the way that it was tight, it was snug in the way that showcased my ever growing stomach beautifully.

"Okay, babe. You have a good morning also. See you in a few hours. Love you." I said giving him a gentle kiss which earned us several whistles and cat calls from students as they passed by my classroom.

I had the projector up and running when my Advanced English 12 students strolled into the classroom. "You brought them?" Victoria asked eagerly as she and James took their seats.

I nodded as I slid the first picture onto the screen just as the bell rung. "I did."

"I'm so excited to see them to get some ideas for when that day comes for us." She said smiling at James who just laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

I laughed at the two of them. "Don't rush it, you two. It's not so much about getting married. Edward and have been married less than a year but we've been together since I was a sophomore in college. Just live life together."

"Thanks, Mrs. Masen, for the advice." Victoria said as everybody else rushed into the room before the bell rang.

To quieten the entire class down without a word I slid the first picture under the camera. "I like it!" Victoria called from the back of the room. I laughed because it was the picture of Edward strapped to the railroad tracks while I stood over him with a sign saying 'Save the date to save the groom!' with our original wedding date written below it.

"Did you take new photos every time a wedding got postponed?" Mary-Beth asked curiously.

I shook my head. "We never announced our engagement or nuptials after the first postponement. It was just too much of a hassle to take new photos each and every time and since we wanted just our family and friends with us there was no need to announce it to the world." I explained in the best way I knew how to get them to understand.

"That makes sense. What did your parents think of the pictures?" Mike asked.

"Edward's mom, Esme, made us promise to take some serious photos to go in the newspapers back home. But, Edward and I couldn't help ourselves to make some…"


	26. Funny vs Cute

**Some of you have commented that these past chapters are a little graphic for a teacher to be telling to her high school students but you need to remember that she is telling the story while you are basically getting to 'live' it while it happens. Hope that makes sense. Plus...this is fiction so I can be a little lenient with teacher restrictions. **

**To those of you that are wanting more lemons there are some here and there but I don't feel like I am good at writing them so don't really get into them all that much. Sorry.**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**Funny vs. cute…**

"Yes!" I exclaimed as I pulled the package from our mailbox along with our normal mail. Our engagement photos had finally come in. It had been almost two weeks since our photo session with Jennifer that had lasted all day and well into the evening. We had did over twenty different poses and set-up's which was exhausting but so completely worth all the photo's we had taken. We had indeed taken some classy, per Esme's request, and some hilarious, per mine and Edward's request. We had also taken some plain couple photos with nothing about our engagement being announced in them.

I quickly locked our mailbox back as I hurried to the elevator and into our apartment. "Babe, they're here!" I called out into the relatively quiet apartment. Usually when Edward worked from home he had his headphones on so he could hear all the notes crystal clear.

"In here!" Edward called from the direction of the master bedroom. "What's here?!" He called out.

I tossed my keys, my backpack, and our mail on to the bar but kept our picture package in my hands as I followed his voice. "Our pictures finally came in." I told him as I walked into the bedroom to see him putting our sheets back on our bed. "What are you doing?" I asked curiously as I sat the package aside so that I could help him.

+"Making our bed. I washed our sheets and stuff." He said with a sweet smile.

I shook my head as I helped him put the rest of the bed back together. "You didn't have to do that, handsome. But I do appreciate it." I told him as I walked over to him pushing him back onto the freshly made bed. "Can I show you how much?" I asked him as tugged his wife beater up his chest.

He just laughed as he tugged on me until I was straddling his hips. "Show me, baby, show me."

It was almost an hour later before we actually got to look at the pictures I had been so excited about when I had first gotten home. It wasn't anybody's fault that I had been so distracted by my sexy fiancée's boy that the pictures had taken a back burner, it's just the way things were. There was something about a man being all domesticated that made them even sexier and I was powerless to resist him on a bad day much less a good one. "Want to look at the pictures now?" I asked him as I lay beside him trying to catch my breath.

"Can we order some dinner first and we can look at them while we wait on dinner?"

I nodded handing him his phone off the nightstand. "You order, I'm gonna go take a quick shower." I told him with a quick peck to his lips.

"Okay." He said as I heard him already tapping the number to get our dinner.

My shower wasn't quick by any means because when Edward had finished ordering dinner he decided he needed a good wash off also. "Got room in there for me?" He asked startling me as I had my head under the shower spray.

I turned to face him as the water sleuthed down my body. "Always. Did you call the guard shack about dinner?" I asked as I backed away from him because of the look in his eyes, it always got us into trouble.

He nodded. "I did. I told them I would be down in a little bit to get it and that it was already paid for. Why are you backing away?"

I laughed at the innocent expression on his face. "Because this was supposed to just be a quick shower and despite the look on your face your intentions are anything but innocent and honorable." I told him as I backed away from him steadily.

A combination of the smirk that spread across his face and my naked back touching the cold tiles on the wall made me gasp aloud. "Do you want me to show you how honorable my intentions are?"

I couldn't help but nod at him because just the sight of him naked and dripping wet always ignited my passions and made me ache for him in a way that only he could satisfy. "Yes, please." I begged holding my arms out for him.

"My pleasure." He said as he gripped my waist in his hands tugging me away from the wall and against his warm and wet body.

After our shower that lasted until the water ran cold I stood in front of bathroom vanity letting Edward brush my hair free of tangles so I could blow dry it. "There you go, beautiful." Edward said as he sat the brush back down the bathroom vanity. "I'm gonna go get dinner while you finish up in here, okay?"

I nodded as I pulled my blow dryer to me, unwinding the cord. "Sounds like a plan to me." I said as I turned my head to meet his lips in a sweet kiss. He was dressed in his red basketball shorts and a wife beater tank top and looked sexy as ever with his wet disheveled hair doing what it does best. "Love you, babe."

"Love you too, Isabella." He said with a wink as he headed out of the bedroom to go get our dinner. I was just finishing up with blow drying my hair when I heard the front door open.

"Edward?" I called out as I stored my blow dryer and brush back where I kept them.

"Yeah it's me. Couch or table?" He called out to me as I stepped into the bedroom to get dressed.

I tugged one of his t-shirts from the armoire dresser along with a pair of my gym shorts and my underwear. "What are we having?" I called out to him as I hung my towel up so I could get dressed.

"Chicken and Pizza." He called back to me. I grabbed the package of pictures off the chair where I had tossed them earlier.

"Couch that way we can look at the pictures while we eat." I told him as I walked into the living room. "I will spread these out on the coffee table so we can look at all of them while we eat."

"Sounds like a plan to me. How many pictures are we choosing for the announcements?" He asked as he plated up our pizza and chicken wings.

I shrugged as I laid them all out. "How about one funny to announce the date and one cute couplely one to show it's us?" I suggested as I continued to lay the thick stack of pictures in my hands out on the table so that we could clearly see each one without having to touch them with our greasy fingers.

"Sounds good. You ready to eat?" he asked as he walked around the corner of the couch with our plates in his hands.

I nodded as I lay the last of the pictures down on the covered coffee table. There were over 100 pictures there to choose from and each one of them different in some way. There was one where Edward was laid across the railroad tracks with his head in my lap as I'm bent over him giving him a kiss. Another was of us in 'jail' with our wedding date on the boards we were holding along with 'Guilty of being in love' written above it. One was each of us holding a chalkboard; mine said 'He finally asked the question…' and Edward's said '…she told me it's about time!' It was going to be hard choosing just two from the entire pile of pictures.

"That's the one." I told Edward as we looked through our final stack of twenty pictures. We had each originally chosen 25 each and then narrowed that down to our top ten each to take the final pick from. "What do you think?" I asked Edward who was sitting behind me leaning against the arm of the couch while I sat between his spread legs leaning against his chest.

He smiled against the side of my head. "I love it and it's funny." He said taking the picture from my hand.

The picture was so very us and I absolutely loved it just because of the look clearly written on our faces. Edward was holding a small chalk board with 'I stole her heart' written on it and I was sitting beside him holding my own chalk board with 'So I'm stealing his last name' written on it. In front of us is a larger chalkboard with 'The theft will take place on November 29th at noon!' written on it. "Ma's going to freak when we send her this photo. She begged me to do something classy and elegant." He chuckled.

"We did do those. I just like this one best." I told him plucking out the photo of me sitting on a rock wall with my legs crossed while he stood beside me with one arm draped over my legs and the other hand stuffed in his pocket. I was kissing the side of his head while he smiled and had his eyes closed in serenity. It was a lot dressier than what we normally are, I was wearing a beautiful fitted red dress that came to right above my knees, my hair was curled and styled elegantly, while Edward wore a gray suit with his hair styled the best it would. "We can send this as our classy couplely one to satisfy their need for classy and our need for funny and unique." I told him as I handed him the second picture.

He nodded as he handed me back the picture we had decided to put in out announcements. "Sounds like a plan to me, baby. I will email them to her, baby. That way there is no argument from her about the pictures we chose."

I laughed. "Go for it. While you are emailing her I will upload the pictures to the local newspapers here that our announcement is going out in." I told him as I twisted around in his lap, kissed his lips gently before sliding off the couch heading for our little library/study area where our laptops were kept.

"I love you, Isabella Swan soon to be Masen."

I looked back over my shoulder at him and was nearly floored at the look on his face. "I love you too, Edward Masen." It actually took us longer to scan the pictures into our computers than it did to send the email and place the ad in our local newspaper.

It was a few days later when I received a phone call waking Edward and I up almost an hour before I had to be up to get ready for classes. "Bella Bella, have you seen the paper yet?" Rose screeched into the phone excitedly causing me to groan.

"No, Rose, I haven't seen the paper yet considering I didn't have to be up for another hour. What's in the paper that has you so excited?" I asked as I pushed myself up against the headboard as Edward pulled his pillow over his head to drown out our chatting. He normally didn't get up until I had to unless he had a deadline and was behind on his work. I reached over patting the pillow playfully which caused him to growl at me playfully.

I heard Rose sigh in irritation through the phone line. "Are you so wrapped up in the sexiness that is Edward Masen that you forgot what was coming out in the newspaper today?"

"If I said yes would I be forgiven?" I asked as Edward's reached out wrapping around my waist as he playfully bit me on my naked hip causing me to groan.

"Gross, Bella. Tell Edward to keep his hands and all other body parts to himself until I get off the phone at least." Rose said in irritation but I had known her long enough to know that she was as giddy about my happiness as I was.

"Umm…you really don't want me to tell him that." I told her as I remembered what happened when Alice had told me to tell him that and I did. She got way more than she bargained for when she called to tell me about the Halloween party she and Jasper were throwing at their new house they had just moved into last week.

"Did she tell me to keep my hands and stuff to myself?" Edward asked from underneath the pillow.

I felt my eyes go comically wide. "Um….no." I said to him as Rose rambled in my ear. "What's he gonna do? Spank me? Tell him what I said, Bella. I am trying to have a serious conversation with you here."

I couldn't stop the wanton moan that slipped from my lips as Edward's warm palm cupped my slick sex without any preamble or warning. "Oh God." I moaned as I pressed the phone into my shoulder to try and keep Rose from hearing my sounds. "Edward…please…" I begged not sure whether I was begging him to stop or keep going.

"ISABELLA SWAN! EDWARD MASEN!" Rose screeched from my shoulder. Just then Edward slid two long fingers inside my wetness causing me to moan out loud as my head fell back against the headboard while my entire body arched beautifully.

I gasped as Edward leaned up sucking a hardened nipple into his mouth. "Come for me, Isabella. Show her how loud my hands can make you be." He mumbled around my nipple, never fully releasing it from his teeth and lips.

I did just as he said and while I lay spent on the bed trying to catch my breath Edward picked up the cordless phone bringing it to his ear. "Rose? You still there?" He asked as he placed a gentle kiss to my lips. "Good morning, my love. I'm gonna go put on the coffee and grab the paper from the front door step."

I only nodded dumbly because I didn't think I could form a coherent sentence at that point. Once I finally got my brain and body functioning as one cohesive unit I stumbled my way into the shower as I heard Edward still talking on the phone to Rose, I assumed. After my shower I tossed on a pair of my teal green skinny jeans along with a white off the shoulder shirt before going into the kitchen with my flats dangling from my fingers. "This smells delicious, babe." I told Edward as I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind as he stood scooping chopped up fruit into two separate bowls.

"Thanks, baby. I found out what Rose's phone call was all about." He said handing me the newspaper that was opened and folded to reveal our picture and engagement announcement.

"Wow." I said as I scanned the basic article announcing our wedding details and our parents' information. Mine simply said 'The father of the bride, Charlie Swan, is pleased to announce the impending marriage of his daughter Isabella Marie Swan to Edward Anthony Masen.' There was no mention of my mother or her side of the family because I didn't want her to have any part of my wedding or my future. I didn't even want her name tainting anything to do with my wedding. "We look good together, babe." I told Edward as I tossed the newspaper down on the counter beside the cutting board.

He nodded. "I think we look happy together. Are we going to frame it or put it in a scrapbook or something?" He asked as he sat the bowls in front of the stools that were tucked under the other side of the bar.

"We can cut it out and put it in the photo album along with all of our other pictures that we didn't choose for the announcements." I told him as I slid onto one of the stools to devour the delicious breakfast he was busy plating for us.

Over the next week we got several letters and envelopes congratulating us on our upcoming nuptials along with a few engagement gifts that we just stacked up on the shelf in the laundry room.

"I never dreamed we would still have this much mail after two weeks." I commented as I emptied our mail box that was nearly stuffed full. It had been two weeks since our announcements had run in all the newspapers. Most of the stuff went to dad's house since we didn't put our address in the newspaper announcements and dad's was a safe bet.

Edward laughed taking the stack from me. "It's actually mainly just this large envelope addressed to you." He said tugging said envelope loose from the pile handing it to me as I locked our mail box back.

"I wonder who it's from." I said fingering my name on the front in an unfamiliar handwriting as we headed for the elevator to head up to our apartment.

"I don't know, baby, maybe the answer is inside the envelope?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Okay, smartass." I grumbled quietly as I tugged the glued flap open to reveal the contents.

My heart stopped cold as I pulled the first item from the envelope. "It can't be." I breathed anxiously as I took a good look at the photograph in my hand. I instantly recognized it as the one of very few photos I had of my mom, my dad, and me. It was of the day I came home from the hospital and we all appeared to be one big happy family. What a lie that turned out to be.

"Is that you, your mother, and the chief?" Edward asked quietly as he peered at the photo over my shoulder.

I nodded as angry tears pooled in my eyes. "Yeah. It think this is from Renee because Charlie didn't say anything about sending me anything." I told him quietly handing him the envelope as the elevator opened onto our floor.

"Why would your mother send you something now?" He asked in a quiet shocked voice as he followed behind me pulling our suitcase and holding all our mail.

I turned to look at him. "She quit being my mother when she walked out without a backwards glance twenty one years ago." I told him angrily.

He nodded. "I understand that baby, I do, but maybe you should look at all the stuff in the envelope anyways. It may hold some answers to some questions you don't even know you have." He said as he kissed the back of my head just as I got the door unlocked.

I sighed. "I know. I'm just angry and scared of why she would do this now. I need to call Charlie."

"Okay, I'm gonna go finish up some work in the bedroom." He said as he walked towards the bedroom giving me some privacy and the envelope that was screaming and begging me to look in it.

I pulled out my cell phone as I snagged the envelope heading for Edward's chair that had quickly became our chair. "Hello?" Charlie's voice said through the phone.

"Hi daddy." I whispered quietly.

"What's wrong, Bella?" My dad knew me so well and also knew that I rarely called him 'daddy' these days unless something was wrong.

"I need your advice." I told him quietly as I looked at the photo of the three of us before I knew what having a family and a mother meant.

"You've got it, you know that. Anytime you need it. What's wrong?" He asked me leaving no room for arguments.

"I got an envelope from _her_ today." I whispered as I traced my fingers across my mother's outline in the photo. I had hidden my copy of this photo when I was just ten years old because I was so angry at her for leaving me that I couldn't even stand the sight of the picture.

"Your mother?" I cringed when he called her that.

"Don't call her that, daddy. She doesn't deserve it." I snapped all my anger coming straight back to the surface.

Charlie immediately chastised me for my rudeness. "Isabella, no matter what she's done to you or me she will always be your mother. What's in the envelope?"

"I don't know, I haven't looked any further than a picture of the three of us. I'm scared." I admitted nervously as I fingered the open flap of the envelope.

"You can handle this Bella, you are a strong resilient young woman. Go for it." My dad said reassuringly. I took a deep breath as I pulled the contents out of the envelope settling them in my lap. There was probably a hundred pictures of me there from my entire childhood.

"Okay, daddy. Has she tried to find out about me since she left?" I asked as I flipped through picture after picture, some I remember being took and some I had no clue who snapped them or when they were snapped.

"No, not once." He said firmly which made me wonder how she had gotten so many photos of me.

"Why does she have photos of me growing up then?" I asked beginning to doubt my father's firm word. "From my entire life it seems."

"Probably because I sent them to her parent's house in Virginia once a year on your birthday. Just on a whim." Oh, that explained it then.

I nodded to myself as I fished out the rest of the envelope. It was two envelopes. One was a standard legal envelope with my name scrawled across the front while the other was more of a folder with Last Will and Testament written in gold lettering on the front. "She never wrote or called or anything?" I asked as I looked at the envelopes in my lap now covering the photos.

"No, Bella. I sent those pictures every year not knowing if she was getting them or not. I never heard a word from any of them, Bells. I wouldn't lie to you about that."

"I know, daddy. I know. There's two envelopes here. One is a regular envelope with my name on the front and another looks to be a formal will and testaments folder." I told him as I ran my fingers across the raised letters on the front of the will and testament folder. "Do you think she's…" I asked quietly not being able to voice the possibility out loud.

"I don't know, Bells. I haven't talked to her in a little over 21 years." He said quietly. "You have the answers to that in your lap at this very moment."

I sighed because he was right. I picked up the envelope with my name on the front of it. "Here goes nothing." I told myself and my dad as I put the phone between my shoulder and my ear so I could use both hands to pull out the contents of the envelope because my hands were shaking something awful.

"It's not nothing, Bella. It may be the answers to so much uncertainty." My father, always the wise one, stated firmly.

"I know, daddy." I said as I took a deep breath and pulled out what felt like paper but was thicker than my normal notebook paper. I read the letter out loud so my dad could hear what it said also.

_Dear my sweet beautiful Isabella,_

_If you are reading this letter then it is because the angels have come to claim my soul. I am scared that you won't read beyond the first line but I'm not going to let that stop me. I know I have no right to even be communicating to you but you have the right to know that you are not the reason I left. I was sick, baby girl, so very sick. I just never knew how bad it was until you were about five years old. I was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. I know that this excuses nothing but I didn't know how to handle my diagnosis and I wanted nothing to taint your tranquility and beauty. I knew that Charlie would raise you right, he was a good man. I loved him so very much but being a mother and a wife was so overwhelming that I would forget days at a time and was so scared that something bad would happen to you. Through years of therapy with both halves of myself I learned that Margaret, my brave half, is the one that actually left you with your father at the police station that day. Renee, my scared half had gone into hiding because you wouldn't quit crying that morning and didn't come out for almost two years. _

_I had no idea, as Renee, what I had done until I was arrested in California. I officially was arrested for disturbing the peace and falsifying a police report. I thought I had lost you but witnesses told the police that I had never arrived with a child of your age. I spent the next three years in a psychiatric ward in San Diego which is where I got the official diagnosis. I have spoken to the therapists there since being diagnosed about you and Charlie having access to my medical records and therapy notes. I know this is a lot to take in but I think those notes could probably answer a lot of questions you and Charlie may have. I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer three years ago and it is getting more and more difficult to fight off the angels that keep beckoning me home. I have lived the past thirteen years of my life with a wonderful man, Phil Dwyer, in Miami Florida. I hope that you had an amazing woman in your life to play the role of your mother since I was so inept at the role, you deserve only the best in life Isabella._

_I know you probably don't care but we have two beautiful little girls, twin sisters; that we adopted nine years ago. Sarah and Tarah, are wonderful little girls who are going to have to deal with losing a mother similar to like you did except they are old enough to remember me. I am sorry that I left you the way that I did but know that deep down by the time I was well enough to come back to you I figured it would do more damage than good. After I left the psychiatric ward in San Diego I went to my parent's old house in Virginia to discover years upon years of photographs of you. I am forever grateful that Charlie took all of those pictures that allowed me to watch you grow up into a beautiful young woman from afar. The last set of pictures I received was just a mere two weeks ago and in it contained a photograph of you with a young man and on the back in Charlie's sloppy scrawl it said that you and Edward were getting married soon. I hope that you have a wonderful life together Isabella. You two look so in love, it's seen clearly through the photograph. I sent you the pictures that I adored the most but there is a whole box of them in my home in Florida if you wish to have them. _

_I have written mine and Phil's address and phone number as well as his email address at the bottom of this letter if you wish to have the pictures back. I would love for you to meet Phil, Tarah, and Sarah but I also understand if you don't want to. Along with this note is a copy of my last will and testament, death certificate, and the deed to your grandparent's house in Virginia. The enclosed will and testament will lay out all of the legalities of my death but in a nutshell you are now the proud owner of a beautiful three story Victorian home in Virginia that your great-grandfather, my grandfather, built for his loving wife and daughter, your great-grandmother and grandmother. The house has sat mostly empty for the last thirty five years and deserves to have life breathed into it once again. If you don't want it then sell it and do with the money as you see fit. The utilities were updated recently so it is liveable/sellable, whatever your choice may be. I won't be disappointed with whatever you choose to do with the home because I can understand how difficult this must be for you. You also have a trust fund that Phil and I have been putting money in for the past twelve years. The details are all in the other envelope._

_I love you, Isabella. I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you that again._

_Phil Dwyer and Renee Higginbotham_

_1328 Sunset Boulevard_

_Miami, FL 33111_

_305-555-6479_

_philbbplayernfather _

I had tears streaming steadily down my face by the time I reached the last page of the letter. "Baby, are you okay?" I heard Edward ask from in front of me. I didn't even know he had come into the room.

I shook my head. "No, but I'm sure I will be. I love you."

"I love you too. Emmett called and wants to know if I want to get a workout in early. Do you care?" He asked as he reached up swiping the tear tracks from my eyes.

"No, I don't care. Have fun and kick some ass." I told him with a smile.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked quietly.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I've got dad on the phone." I told him pointing at the phone tucked between my shoulder and ear.

"Okay. Hi Charlie. Love you, baby."

"Love you too. Be careful. I kind of like you the way you are." I told him with a smirk.

He winked at me as he kissed the top of my head before grabbing his car keys and walking out of the apartment. He and Emmett had taken to having workout/gym sessions about twice a week to blow of some steam and to have some guy time. The two men had gotten increasingly close in the past year and I was grateful for that because Rose and Emmett were the most important people in my life that lived on the same coast as me aside from Edward of course. Jasper and I rarely speak and when we do it's not the same as it used to be. Even though I forgave him at his wedding last December, his poor decision making still strained our once free and easy friendship.

"Bells?" Charlie's voice in my ear dragged me back to the here and now.

I sighed as I folded the letter back into the envelope. "I'm here, dad."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, dad. I just don't know. I have no urge to know Phil, Renee, or their daughters."

I heard Charlie sigh. "That is understandable, Bella. What are you going to do about the money and the house?"

"I don't know, dad. I just don't know. I guess it's worth going to see the house. I can always sell it, rent it out, or keep it." I told him as I stuffed everything back into the envelope sitting them on the end table beside Edward's chair.

"It really is a remarkable house, Bella. I've not been there in almost 24 years but it was breathtaking back then." Charlie said quietly.

I sighed. "It's just a lot to take in. You have copies of all the photos you sent her, don't you?" I asked him curiously.

"Yep. They are all in the albums in the storage closet."

"Good, then I have no reason to contact this guy. I don't know what to do dad. Is it right to use the money she put in that trust?" I asked as I ran my fingers through my hair in an Edward like characteristic that I had picked up from living together for almost a year.

"She left it for you, Bella, it's yours." Charlie said quietly. "She clearly wanted you to have it, baby."

"Are you okay?" I asked him curiously.

I heard him sight through the phone. "It's nice to have closure but she should have at least sent letters or called or something once she realized what had happened. She could have not interrupted our lives and still sent a letter explaining and asking about you or at least letting me know she was getting the pictures. Frankly, it just down right pisses me off." I had never heard my dad talk like that before and it opened my eyes to how badly he was hurt by her absence all these years also.

"I'm sorry daddy." I said softly.

"It's okay, baby. It's life, I guess. I'm glad she found help and happiness but sad for you that you won't ever get to know the woman that I knew."

"It's okay, daddy. You were enough. Who else can say that they had a dad who attended my second grade mother daughter tea party at school just to keep me from being upset? Who else can say that they had a dad who went to a Celine Dion concert for my thirteenth birthday? I can because you did all of those things. I didn't need a mother then and I don't need one now." I told him firmly. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too, baby girl. Are you guys doing anything for Halloween?" He asked effectively changing the conversation.

I spent the next half hour telling my dad about the costume party at Alice and Jasper's new house (Edward's idea, not mine) before we eventually got off the phone so I could go whip up something for dinner. I was at the stove when Edward came bounding into the apartment all smiles and cheerfulness. "Did you have a nice workout with Emmett?" I asked him as I stirred the stir fry I had cooking on the stove.

"Yeah, I kicked his ass this time. I just hope Rose doesn't kick my ass when she sees him." He said running his fingers through his wet hair nervously as he walked over to me placing a quick kiss to my cheek and a swat to my ass causing me to laugh and squeal.

I just quirked an eyebrow at him asking him without words to explain.

He just rolled his eyes as he tugged a piece of chicken out of the pan popping it into his mouth. "We were kickboxing and he got sidetracked by his phone ringing and I landed a foot to the side of his face. He's got a busted lip and bruised cheek." He said once he had chewed the hot piece of chicken up and swallowed it. "That's delicious by the way." He said placing one more kiss to my cheek as he walked around the bar hopping on the stool that sat there.

"Thanks. Is Emmett okay?" I said shaking my head at his giddiness. It was nice to see after my emotional afternoon. I stirred the sauce into the skillet with the meat and vegetables to let them simmer together.

Edward waved me off with a smile. "He'll be fine. His ego is more damaged than his face. It's not like I hit him will all my force. We were just sparring and he got sidetracked. I expected him to block the kick not get caught by it."

I nodded in understanding. "I'm sure Rose will call to congratulate you instead of berate you. Renee's dead." I said out of the blue.

"Oh?" He said non-opinionated.

I sighed, turned the heat down on the stir fry, and turned to face him. "Yeah, that's why I got the letter, her will, death certificate, and deed to my great-grandparent's house in Virginia." I told him in one fell swoop.

He just raised an eyebrow at me. "In her letter she said she had breast cancer and that she was leaving me the house that my great grandfather built back in the day along with a trust that is now all mine."

"Do you want the house?" He asked curiously as he reached across the bar grasping my hands in his. I don't think the fact that I even had a trust fund now registered anywhere in his brain. Money was so not an issue with him, never had been but he also doesn't flaunt the fact that he has over 13 million dollars sitting in his trust fund.

I shrugged because I honestly didn't know. "I don't know. She said it was mine to do what I seemed fit. I figure we can go out and take a look at it at least. Like I told Charlie we can always sell it, rent it, or keep it for ourselves." I told him as I leaned down kissing his knuckles gently.

"We can go out there for Christmas instead of going back home if you want."

I looked at him. "You would do that?"

He nodded. "Absolutely, baby. We have a month for Christmas. We can spend some time in Virginia before going to Forks to see your dad and my mom." He suggested.

"Charlie says that the house is breathtaking." I told him as I pulled my hands from his to go check on our dinner. "Well it was over twenty years ago anyways."

"I'm sure it is, Bella. This is your history, it's a part of you that you never knew. You deserve to get to know that side of yourself."

"She's been battling breast cancer for three years, apparently." I told him softly. "She's also got adopted twin daughters living in Florida with her partner of the last decade or so."

"How do you feel about that?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. It seems like she's getting off easy. She was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder two or so years after she left me and Charlie. She says her alternate personality is the one that left me, not her." I said with a wave of my hand because it honestly was a lot to take in and digest in such a short amount of time.

"Wow." He said as he let out a low whistle.

I nodded as I grabbed plates from the cabinet sitting them beside the stove. "Yeah. Can you get drinks, placemats, and stuff while I dish this up?" I asked him quietly yet effectively putting an end to the conversation.

He came and wrapped his arms around my waist almost making me spill the stir fry. "You are amazing, Isabella. I love you, baby."

I had to bat my lashes quickly to hold back the tears at his sweet amazing words. "I love you too, handsome."


	27. Now 14

**Chapter 27**

**Now**

"Do you still own the house?" Allyson asked quietly.

I nodded. "Yes, I couldn't bear to part with it after I saw it. There is more to our story that involves that house so I don't want to give too much away but we still live in that house to this very day. It's on the outskirts of Windsor, actually." I told them sliding a picture of our house onto the screen.

"Wow. That's really pretty." Mary-Beth said as she looked at the house that had survived so many generations and had stood vacant for one until Edward and I breathed life back into it. Our hands had been forced to do a few renovations over the years because of unforeseen circumstances the entire house remained the same as when it was first built.

I nodded. "It is very pretty. Once you all graduate we may invite this class out to see the boys and house if you all are interested. The house holds a lot of original woodwork and history. Would you guys be interested in something like that?" I asked them.

Some nodded and some shrugged.

"It's just a suggestion, y'all." I said causing them all to laugh out loud. "You don't have to come if you don't want to, but the offer is out there if you do want to."

"Have you ever been to visit your mother's other kids?" Mary Beth asked curiously.

I shook my head. "No, but they've been to see us. I have no desire to see where my biological mother lived with her other kids and partner. Call it rude or hateful or whatever but that's just the way I feel." I said shrugging my shoulders as I thought of Tarah, Sarah, and Phil.

"I think I would probably feel the same way if my mother deserted me when I was just an innocent baby." Tyler said as he shut the leather journal that he had been writing in while I told todays section of our history.

I nodded in agreement. "Okay, any questions about the assignment for this week?"

They all shook their heads as the bell rang. "That's good because we are out of time. Get out of here!"

When lunch rolled around I strolled down to Edward's office with my stack of papers that needed graded. I heard soft piano notes coming from the practice room so I headed in that direction.

"Come sit." Edward said without faltering. I sat on the bench beside him with my papers in my lap as I listened to him play our sons lullaby.

"That's beautiful, handsome. They will love it. Is there any way we can record it and put it in a toy or their mobile or something so we can play it when they lay down in their cribs?" I asked curiously as I lay my head on his shoulder listening to final few notes of the now finished lullaby.

"I don't know, baby, we can look for something like that when we get home. You ready for lunch?" He asked as he shut the lid on the piano.

From his mouth to my stomach, my stomach growled right on cue. "I will take that as a yes." Edward said as he stood holding a hand out for me to take.

He sat me atop his desk pulling my sweater up as I munched on the pepperoni, cheese, and crackers I had packed this morning. "Hi boys, it's your daddy again. I love you both for being good to your momma these past few days. Daddy doesn't like getting on to either one of you but you have to behave while you are in there so your mommy isn't so uncomfortable. I can't wait to be able to cradle you close and be able to actually kiss the fuzzy hair on top of your tiny little heads but we still have quite a ways to go before that is possible. You guys just hang in there until it is safe for you to come join us in this big old world. Okay?" He asked them placing a kiss over the general area of where their heads were at according to our last ultrasound scan. "I love you boys more than anything in this entire world besides your mother." He placed one more kiss to each of them before pulling my shirt back down.

"You are such a sap. These boys already have you wrapped around their little fingers and they aren't even here yet." I told him with an eye roll as he raised up to lean over me on the desk.

"I'm your sap and you have me wrapped around each and every one of your delicate little fingers." He whispered against my lips as he kissed me fiercely.

I moaned as I threaded my fingers through his hair tugging his body flush against mine. "God, I want you so bad. Why do we have to be at school right now?"

Just then a knock sounded on his door. "Edward, I need to speak to you- Oh, hey Bella. How are you feeling these days?" Miss Cooper, the choir teacher, said as she leaned in Edward's doorway without waiting for Edward to respond to her knock.

I smiled at her as I took Edward's hand to help me off his desk since the bell was sure to ring any moment now. "I'm great, Marcia. How are you?" I asked as I leaned back against Edward's chest as he gripped my hips in his hands.

"I'm doing great these days. Can I speak to Edward for a moment?" She asked saucily. It was no secret that she had a thing for my husband but he had nothing for her. As a matter of fact, he thought she was inappropriate and slutty.

I smiled as I heard Edward take a deep breath and expel it through tightly closed lips. "Does it concern a student, Marcia?" Edward asked tightening his grip on my hips. "We're on our lunch break at the moment."

She smiled and nodded. "No, I just needed to discuss the schedule for the use of the practice room since we have that spring show coming up in a few weeks." She said as she twirled overly bleached blonde hair around her finger in what I assume was supposed to be a tempting gesture.

"I will chat with Glen before taking a look at the schedule and email you the times that he will need it." Edward said shooting her down quickly. Glen was the other band director that worked with the kids on the field and their formations for performances while Edward worked with the students in the classroom.

She pursed her lips but nodded in acceptance. "Okay. Thanks, Edward. Bye Bella." She said as she spun on her ridiculously high heels and clicked her way down the hallway.

"Well that wasn't obvious at all." I muttered as Edward walked us to the doorway after checking his watch for the time.

He chuckled against my neck before placing a gentle kiss there. "She's just blowing smoke, baby. She knows that I am fully committed to you and our children. Hell, every person in this school with eyes knows that." He wrapped his arms around me beneath mine splaying his hands on my rounded stomach. "Plus you are way sexier than she is in her unbuttoned shirt and tight skirt."

I smiled as I hugged his arms tightly. "Good save, babe. Love you." I said as I turned my head for a kiss that would have to last me the rest of the day.

"Love you too, baby." He said nibbling on my bottom lip gently before the bell broke us apart sending me back to my own classroom.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

It seemed like the weekend just flew by and before either of us knew it we were strolling back into the school heading for our classrooms. "Time needs to really slow down." I complained as we stood in the doorway to my classroom.

Edward nodded as he helped me up onto the desk where I usually sat before caressing my ever expanding stomach. I was now twenty-three and a half weeks pregnant and I felt like I was going to explode but we still had roughly three months to go so I knew I was only going to get bigger as the babies grew. We were still aiming for a natural birth even though we had a c-section plan just in case that is the way we had to go.

"Indeed it does. Before we know it our babies will be here and we won't know when the day starts or ends." Edward said as he pecked me on the end of my nose. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you too, Edward Anthony. Now, scoot." I said giving him a sweet kiss before pushing him out the door.

I nearly danced around the halls of the school when I got the email confirmation that our boys' stuffed floppy eared puppies with a recordable chip in each of them had shipped and should arrive within nine days. We had gotten Jaylon a black and white puppy with a 'J' tag on its collar. Trystan's was brown and white with a 'T' tag on its collar. I quickly sent Edward a text letting him know that the puppies had shipped to which he responded that he would have the song finished by then.

When Advanced English 12 rolled around I was practically giddy with excitement once again because we were going trick or treating today. I even had candy for all of them as I shared this part of the story. "We going somewhere happy today, Mrs. Masen?" Mary Beth asked as she noticed my smile and bouncing on the desk.

I nodded. "Indeed we are. I don't think a person ever outgrows Halloween and trick or treating." I told her giving a tiny clue as to where we were going today.

"Was this you guys' first Halloween together?" She asked curiously.

I smiled and nodded. "It was and the cops getting involved made it one that we will never ever forget." I told her with a wink as she pulled the boys' journal from her bag to transcribe today's story.

"Cops and chocolate, Mrs. Masen? You two were a little wild in your younger days, weren't you?" James snickered as he and Victoria walked into the classroom.

"Haha James." Once the bell rung and everybody sat down in their seats I hopfped off my desk going around to the bag of candy I had sitting in the chair. "Halloween is not complete unless you get a sugar high from it." I said shaking the bag of candy at them which earned me a room full of smiles and giggles.

"Is that for us?" Mike asked eagerly eyeballing the bag of candy.

"It is, indeed. Sarah, I have your cinnamon discs that you like since you are allergic to chocolate." I told her as I sat five little red discs on her desk which earned me a blush and a smile. "Mine and Edward's first Halloween together started with all of us…"


	28. Sex and Cops

**Chapter 28**

**Sex and cops…**

As Halloween approached so did our intended wedding date which brought along my nerves that apparently not only I noticed. "What's got you so wound up, baby?" Edward asked the weekend before the Halloween party at Jasper and Alice's house. We were laying snuggled in his chair as Fast Five played in the background. We were having a Fast marathon to finish off our lazy day inside since it was chilly and rainy outside.

I shrugged as I burrowed deeper into his chest. "I don't know." I admitted quietly, so softly I wasn't sure he heard me until he responded to me a few moments later.

"Is it the upcoming party, our trip in December, or just wedding jitters?" He asked as he cupped the side of my face gently.

I shrugged again. "I don't think it's wedding jitters because just the thought of marrying you puts a smile on my face."

"Baby, you can be happy about the wedding and still be nervous about it."

I nodded as his grip tightened around my waist. "I don't know. I've been thinking that maybe instead of going to Forks for Christmas after Virginia we can just head on down to Florida."

"Is that what you want to do? Go see Phil, Tarah, and Sarah? Go visit your mother's grave?" He asked quietly as he stroked my back gently.

I nodded against his chest. "Yeah, maybe. I have thought a lot about it ever since I got that letter in the mail. If she offered up her medical records to verify that she wasn't lying then how can I hold her medical condition against her? She did what she thought was best when she realized she had left me behind with Charlie."

"That's up to you, baby. I will support whatever decision you make, always."

"I know, Edward, and I love you for that. Maybe I can go make Phil and the girls' first Christmas without Renee a little better by listening to all their stories of her. I can see what kind of mother she was capable of being." I whispered quietly.

"Sounds like a plan, baby. I'm glad it wasn't wedding jitters, I can't wait to marry you in a month."

"Me either, it's like a dream come true." I whispered as I shifted on his lap so that I was straddling his hips with my knees pressing into the back of the chair.

He growled as he levered us up from the recliner so suddenly that I wrapped my arms and legs around his waist tightly. "I'll show you a dream come true." He said as he headed for the bedroom.

I laughed as he tossed us onto the bed in a flurry of arms and legs. "Please do." I begged as I sunk my fingers into his hair tugging his head down to mine.

I contacted Phil the next morning letting him know of our possible plans and he was elated to have both Edward and I.

Dear Phil,

How would you feel about Edward and I coming to visit for Christmas and New Year's? I have given it a lot of thought and initially I was very angry, as I explained in my last email, but now that I've had a bit of time to think things over I would like to come for a visit. This is the first Christmas and New Year's for Tarah and Sarah without their mother and maybe I can help them deal with that by listening to their stories of our mother and their childhood. Let me know if you are okay with us visiting.

Thanks, Bella

It was less than ten minutes later that I got a response from Phil so I quickly opened it, anxious to get our plans finalized so we could tell our parents.

Dear Bella,

The girls and I would love to have both you and Edward here for the holidays. I have watched you grow up through photographs so it would be nice to put an actual person to the pictures. Renee has always showed the pictures she got from your father to me and the girls and we would sit and come up with a scenario that would go with the pictures. I'm sure they would love to regal you with stories if you will do the same. You and Edward are more than welcome to stay here. I can ask the girls to sleep together so you can have one of their rooms during your stay.

Sincerely,

Phil, Tarah, and Sarah

After I got the 'okay' email from Phil I set about making our travel plans for the Christmas holidays. I would be on Christmas vacation from December 12th to January 6th so we could leave for Virginia after my last final on the 12th and stay in Virginia until the 22nd before going on down to Florida. I had played with the idea of renting a car for the trips south but when I realized how long the drives would be versus the flights I went with us flying down and just renting a car when we got in each state. I also rented us a hotel room for Florida so that we wouldn't put anybody out of their beds for the holidays and also so that we could have a place to escape to.

"Well that's all set." I told Edward as I closed the lid on my computer sliding it off my lap.

He smiled at me as he tapped on his computer before pulling his headphones off setting them aside. "Are we driving or flying?" He asked opening his arms for me.

I scrunched my nose up. "Flying. It's over a nine hour drive just to Virginia." I told him as I slipped off the couch and into his lap in his chair.

He laughed as he pulled me close. "Flying it is, then. Hotel in Florida or staying with Phil and the twins?"

I groaned as I burrowed into his chest. "He said he could put one of the girls in with the other and we could have their room but I booked us a hotel suite for our stay."

"Good choice. I'm sure this trip is going to be hard on all of you but it would be even worse if everybody didn't have a place that they could let off some steam. Have you decided on our costumes for the Halloween party yet?"

"I've narrowed it down to either Fred and Wilma Flintstone or Popeye and Olive Oyl. Do you have a preference?" I asked him sweetly.

He laughed. "So basically I get a choice to wear either a dress or a pair of jeans? Can I wear shorts underneath Fred's 'dress'?" He asked using his fingers for quotation marks.

Honestly I could care less if he wore jeans or shorts as long as he was comfortable enough to have a good time. "I don't care, babe, that's up to you."

"Okay, I think Fred and Wilma are sexier than Popeye and Olive Oyl. Are you okay being Wilma to my Fred?"

I nodded. "Yeah that's fine but we need to go get our costumes today before we can't find them and are stuck with something else. Feel like getting out today?"

"That's fine by me. Give me half an hour to finish up this section and then we can go, okay?" He said as he kissed me on the side of the head.

"Okay. Love you, handsome." I said as I pecked his lips gently.

"Love you too, beautiful." He said as he helped me from his lap.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Searching for our costumes was a whole new experience that would forever be cemented in my memories and I couldn't resist taking pictures for when our memories began to wane. Seeing Edward wearing the orange and black Flintstone dress with no shoes was a sight to be seen. "How sexy is this?" Edward asked as he stepped through the dressing room curtains with a flourish.

I had to slap my hand over my mouth to keep my giggles from coming out in the middle of the fairly packed shop.

"Wow, Edward, that is some outfit!" Emmett said as he spotted Edward 'modeling' the Fred Flintstone costume.

Edward shot a glare at him which caused him to shut his trap because he was going as the lamb to Rosalie's Mary. "You've got no room to talk, lamb chop." Edward retorted causing us all to laugh so loudly the sales clerk glared at us.

"Behave you two." Rosalie said as she walked out in her shepherdess dress.

I got my 'Wilma' outfit which earned a whistle and wolfish grin from Edward when I let him have a small preview of it.

The outfits sat in our closet until the night of the party when we slipped into them. Edward had been adamant that he be able to wear his regular shorts or at least a pair of basketball shorts underneath the Fred outfit which was fine because his man parts were for my eyes only. "You ready?" I called into the bedroom as I slipped my last earring into place completing the outfit.

"Yep, let's go do this thing. Are Rose and Em meeting us there or what?"

"Meeting us there." I told him as I flipped off the bathroom light meeting him in the bedroom. "You look pretty amazing there, handsome."

He wiggled his eyebrows at me in an exaggerated manner which caused me to laugh. "You are the one that looks amazing. You make Wilma look good."

I just laughed as I slipped my feet into my flat sandals. Edward had opted to go with flip flops instead of going barefoot while I had chosen a pair of simple white sandals to go with my miniscule dress. "Thanks, babe." I told him as I kissed him gently on the cheek.

"My pleasure." He said as he ran his finger across the bare skin at my waist which caused me to shiver in anticipation. "It can be your pleasure to, you know?"

I nodded as I shoved him away. "You can play with me after the party. This is a big step for all of us." I reminded him gently.

He groaned and nodded as he held my jacket out for me to slip into because it was Rhode Island and the end of October which did not go well with small or drafty outfits. "I know and I think it will be fun, at least the alcohol may numb some of the awkwardness." Edward said as he tugged on his own jacket.

Walking into Alice and Jasper's house almost an hour later was a humbling experience. They had bought a fixer up almost two months ago with their inheritances and had pretty much renovated the whole thing so that they could sell it and make a profit when they both got out of college and settled somewhere closer to Washington. Apparently they got bit by the renovation bug while they helped all of us redo Charlie's attic this past summer and it looked amazing. "Bella! Edward!" Alice squealed from somewhere on the other side of the sea of bodies that were in their living room.

"Alice! Where are you?" I called back as we all pushed through the bodies that were dancing to the music coming from everywhere it seemed like.

"I'm right here!" She chirped as she popped up in front of us suddenly. "Wow, Bella, you look amazing!" She said as she gave me a gentle hug.

I smiled as I assessed her outfit while she ribbed Edward for his dress and Emmett for being a head to toe lamb. "Are you catwoman?" I asked as I flicked her tail that I caught sight of when she gave Rose a hug.

She nodded. "Yep, and Jazzy is Superman." She said with a light bounce in her step.

"Jasper's wearing tights?" Emmett asked suddenly with a smile on his face replacing the frown he had been carrying around.

"Yep, he sure is. Come on, he's in the kitchen playing bartender at the moment." She said turning around and leading us further into the house.

She sashayed up to Jasper as he handed a cup to a sexy nurse. "Nice outfit there, Jasper." Edward said slinging his arm around my shoulder.

"Shut up, Edward. At least I'm not wearing a dress." Jasper said giving Edward a light nudge in the arm. "You look good, Bells. Excited about the wedding in a few weeks?" He asked changing the subject because it seemed like none of the guys were exactly wearing manly outfits.

We stood around the kitchen chatting about kids, our upcoming wedding, the renovations, our upcoming Christmas vacation plans, and everything else we could think of until the urge to dance took us all over and we headed back into the living room. "Eddie, is that you?" A woman asked from beside where we were dancing. I felt Edward tense up in my arms because we were dancing so closely together. I turned in his arms to face the voice that had spoken and came face to face with a short woman with cropped blonde hair and bigger boobs than I had ever in my life seen before. She had to be shorter than Alice and had bigger boobs than Rosalie, Alice, and I put together.

"Hi Jane." Edward said in a cool voice as he held firmly onto me. "Nice to see you again. Jane this is my fiancée Bella. This is really awkward but this is my ex-girlfriend, Jane." He said doing the introductions that were indeed awkward.

I watched as Jane digested Edward's introduction. Her eyes went kind of big and her jaw dropped a little bit. "Fiancée, huh? When's the big day?" She asked quietly.

I stepped in because I didn't want people, beside the few that were gonna be there, to know our exact wedding date. "Shortly after Thanksgiving." I told her sweetly as I held on to Edward's waist tightly.

"That's soon then. Congratulations. He's a great catch." She said with an odd twinkle in her eye and an equally odd tone in her voice.

I nodded. "He is. I've known him most of my life, so you don't have to tell me what a great catch he is." I told her as I laid my head against Edward's shoulder as he placed a kiss to the top of my head.

"You're the one that he couldn't have?" She asked in a shocked voice.

"Yep, I finally realized what I was missing." I told her as I tipped my face up wanting a kiss from my soul mate.

She nodded seemingly defeated. "That's great. Congratulations, again." She said with a defeated nod before turning around and walking off.

"Beautifully handled, baby. She can be a little crazy when she doesn't get her way." Edward said with a shake of his head almost as if shaking it clear of an unwanted memory.

I pulled back a little bit. "Was that one of the few girlfriends you ever had?" I asked curiously.

He smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Yeah, I never expected to see her again." He said yet again shaking his head.

"I figured as much. She has some amazing assets." I told him cheekily.

He tugged me against him playfully kissing me gently on the lips. "Those must be recently purchased because she didn't have those when we were together. She was a sweet farm girl from Kansas who missed her family as much as I missed mine." He said sweetly.

I pushed back from his chest and glared at him playfully. "So you were checking out said assets, huh?"

He just laughed tugging me back into his arms. "They were kind of hard to miss and your assets are the only ones I'm interested in checking out these days. You are killing me with the little innocent act while wearing this provocative outfit." He said pressing his hips against mine.

My eyes went large at the feeling of his prominent erection. "Wow, I had no idea." I breathed softly as I slid one of my hands around his neck while the other slid lower between our bodies until I cupped his erection in my palm. His basketball shorts and the Fred costume offered very little resistance to his persistence. "You ready to get out of here?" I whispered as I rubbed my palm over his hardness.

He nodded as his eyes became smoldering with intense passion. "Yes."

We quickly grabbed our jackets from Jasper and Alice's guest bedroom and made a beeline for the front door. We hurried quickly to Edward's Volvo hand in hand laughing the whole way.

"You guys leaving already?"

We both froze mid step and Edward pulled me back against his chest as we whirled to face the person who spoke to us. "Jesus, Jasper, you scared the daylights out of me." I said as I set eyes on the blue and red superman costume he had on.

He held his hands up in apology as he stepped onto the stepping stones and into the light of the yard. "Sorry, I was just taking a breather from all the sexual energy in the house." He said shaking his head.

I looked guiltily at Edward as he pressed his hips against mine.

"Oh not you guys too." Jasper groaned shaking his head at us.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sorry Jazz."

He shook his head again. "Don't apologize, I'm happy for you two. Get out of here and go defile something." He said just as I spotted Alice heading our way.

"Jazzy, what are you doing out here?"

Edward shook hands with Jasper but kept his lower half hidden. "It was fun, brother, you two enjoy the rest of your party." He said before tugging me over to the car helping me into the passenger seat. We had each only had one beer and that was almost two hours and many sweaty dances ago.

I got bored as Edward drove back towards our apartment so my hands started having a mind of their own and satisfying my boredom. "Isabella, what are you doing?" Edward asked as I unclipped my seatbelt turning sideways in my seat.

I just smiled at him as I placed my right hand on his thigh and my left on his shoulder. "Nothing." I said cheekily as I leaned over the console placing an open mouthed kiss against the side of his neck causing him to tense up and groan.

"I'm trying to get us home safely but I can't concentrate with you touching me…." He whispered trailing off as my hand slid under the edge of the Fred costume dancing my fingers lightly up his thigh getting closer and closer to his prominent erection. "…like that." He finished just as I heard him sigh and flip the blinker on.

Nothing was going to deter me from my mission. I wanted him and I couldn't wait until we got home. Just thinking about his erection rubbing up against me at the party has my tiny thong soaked through and through. I could just imagine what his face would look like when he saw how tiny my undergarments were considering I never wore thongs because I didn't like them. "I trust you." I breathed into his ear before nipping it lightly as my right hand dipped under the waistband of his basketball shorts and boxer briefs.

I wasn't aware of my surrounding but the sudden jolt of the car coming to a stop caused me to open my eyes and meet his. "You drive me crazy." He said shoving the car into park before sinking his fingers into my hair tugging my lips to meet his. "I love you." He whispered when we broke for air.

I smirked at him as I reached over him searching for the lever to the seat to send him backwards. "Ditto, my love, ditto." I whispered as I crawled over his now sprawled out body. I tugged his 'dress' upwards and his shorts downward to free his erection that I was craving beyond belief. "Ready?" I asked him as I wrapped my hands around him causing him to groan.

"We have to be quick." He said as he tugged my dress up groaning at my miniscule white lace thong. "Which shouldn't be a problem." He said as he tugged me into place slamming me down onto him causing us both to groan aloud.

I leaned forward gripping his hair tightly in my hands as I moved my lower body quickly over his. "I needed this. God, I wanted you so badly." I whispered against his lips as I rotated my hips causing him to buck up into me.

"Ditto, baby, ditto." He said as he pushed me until I was sitting up. I felt him shifting underneath me and suddenly felt his knees and legs against my back. "Ready?" He asked as he pressed his feet into the seat raising his hips lightly. "Hands on the roof so I don't hurt your head like last time."

I nodded putting my hands on the roof above my head. "God, am I ever." I said as he started pounding into me making my blood boil over and erupt into fireworks.

After a few frantic minutes I felt him stiffen beneath me as he tugged me back down over him. "Jesus, Bella." He panted once he regained use of his voice.

I just chuckled as I kissed his throat. I wasn't capable of speaking just yet.

We lay there for a few minutes until blue and red lights interrupted our after love making glow. "Oh my God!" I screeched as I scrambled back into my seat tugging my dress down as Edward frantically straightened his seat and clothes. Luckily we were decent enough when the officer tapped on the window. Edward looked at me with a mock irritated look as he rolled down the window.

"Evening, officer." Edward said politely as I opened the glove compartment searching for the proof of insurance and registration I knew the officer was going to ask for.

"Evening. Everything okay, here?" He asked as he peered into the car. "Can I see your license, insurance, and registration please?"

We both nodded as I handed him the insurance card and registration slip. "I was feeling a little nauseous so we pulled over in case I needed to throw up." I told him with a sincere look on my face.

"Oh, well I hope you get to feeling better, ma'am." He said as Edward handed him both of our licenses that were stowed in his wallet. "I'm just gonna go run these real quick."

"Okay." Edward and I both said as the cop left to go back to his car. "Quick thinking there, Isabella." Edward said as he reached over stroking my face softly. "I do love you."

I just smiled as I leaned onto his touch. "I love you too. From now until forever."

"Absolutely." He said as the officer appeared back at the window handing Edward back all of his paperwork.

"You both have an impeccable driving record." He said looking between us both.

I chuckled. "That's the hazards of being a sheriff's daughter." I told the cop sweetly.

He nodded in understanding. "I wish all children would think like that. I am going to let you off with a warning since I don't smell alcohol on you or in the car. It is illegal to park idling on the shoulder of the road, though. Ma'am hope you get to feeling much better and sir take good care of her. You two have a great night."

"Thank you, sir. You have a goodnight too." Edward said shaking the cop's hand before rolling up the window easing back onto the road.

I smiled as I fastened my seatbelt back into place. "That would have been awkward explaining to Charlie." I told him with a huge smile on my face.

"No worse than explaining why Jasper and I were arguing over you so loudly that he was called to intervene."

I sighed leaning my head over on his shoulder. "I bet. Thank you for standing up for me even though I had no clue about it until last Christmas." I said softly.

"That's my job, baby. Always has been and always will be." He said just as softly as he placed a sweet kiss to the top of my head.


	29. Now 15

**Chapter 29**

**Now**

"Why do I have a feeling that the cop stopping you guys has more of a story than you two were talking on the side of the road?" Justin asked from the back of the room.

I couldn't stop the blush that spread across my cheeks and ears which earned me a room full of catcalls and whistles. "I'm not going into any more detail than what I already did." I told him with a raised eyebrow.

He just laughed as Sarah raised her hand. I pointed at her to go ahead. "Have you had many run-ins with Mr. M's exes over the years?"

I tossed my head back in laughter. "Contrary to most people's beliefs there aren't all that many of them and no, I've never had another run-in with an ex of his although he talks to my ex nearly every day. How can I complain about running into his exes when he has to deal with mine on a daily basis? You guys have to remember that I have one ex and it happens to be Edward's brother." I told them which caused them all to laugh until I nodded at Victoria to ask her question.

"Is that ever weird between you guys, Mr. Whitlock, and his wife?" Victoria asked.

I shook my head. "Not really, Alice, Jasper's wife, and I are really good friends now. We all realized a long time ago that we are happier this way so why hold no harsh feelings about how we got to be so happy."

"That's pretty awesome." Victoria said just as the bell rang dismissing them for the day.

That Halloween was brought up again during lunch by my darling husband. "Why have I been getting questions about my experience with cops?" He asked as he massaged my sore legs as they rested in his lap. I was once again sat atop his desk snacking while he had my feet propped in his lap while he sat in his chair. I had gotten a really bad cramp last class as I slid off my desk that nearly brought me to the floor.

"Who asked you that?" I asked as my body flushed from needless embarrassment.

"Travis and James." He said as he rubbed his thumbs into the muscles of my calves.

I shook my head because that wasn't a big shocker to me. Those two were bigger gossipers than eighty year old bored women with nothing better to do. "Travis and his big mouth. I glazed over our run in with the cops the night of Alice and Jasper's Halloween party. My blush and Justin's bluntness busted us out that there was more involved on the side of that road than 'talking'." I told him using quotation marks around talking because we both knew it wasn't talking that got us in trouble with the cops that night.

He just busted out laughing as he continued massaging my legs underneath the wide legs of my gray maternity dress pants. "That's funny. I guess they're not as gullible as we thought they would be. Are you doing our first attempt on Wednesday?" He asked as I leaned back onto my elbows on his desk to give Jaylon more room to stretch and me a little more room to breathe.

I nodded. "I am. I'm also taking them to New York for a quick spin through the city."

"You going to be bringing your pictures from that trip too?" He asked knowing that I had always loved taking pictures of new places we explored throughout the years so that I could always remember them as they were at that time. Another reason why I took so many pictures was because when our years together began to blur or wane the pictures would be there to help clarify things or bring the memories back. I probably had over twenty photo albums stuffed absolutely full of pictures from our time together so far. Those photo albums along with all the ones I had originally found in the house were all stored in the library/music room of our house.

I shrugged. "Maybe. They seem to really enjoy the pictures that I've brought so far. They really liked our engagement pictures though. Victoria loved the one where you were tied to the railroad tracks."

He groaned as he pulled his hands from inside my pants to massage the muscles at my hips that were almost always aching these days. I guess that is what happens when you have a tiny frame that is preparing to bring twins into the world. "I'm well aware of how much they enjoyed those pictures. They haven't shut up about them yet."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Are you okay, baby?" Edward asked as I limped into our bedroom from the bathroom Tuesday night. He was looking all kinds of sexy propped up in our turned down bed in nothing but his boxer briefs and socks on and his reading glasses perched on his nose.

I shook my head. "No, I don't know what's wrong but ever since our doctor's appointment earlier I have been cramping in my lower stomach and hips." I told him rubbing where the cramps were at. "Right through here."

He immediately bolted up from the bed where he had been lounging dropping to his knees in front of me. "Do we need to go to the emergency room, baby?" He asked urgently as I sat on the edge of our bed.

I shrugged. "I don't know, Edward. I don't want to feel like a cry baby because I can't handle a few cramps with my pregnancy. The boys are moving around like normal. What do you think we should do?" I asked him placing my hands atop his as they cradled our baby boys.

"I say it doesn't hurt to at least go get checked again. Are they contraction like cramps, like Alice described?" He asked clearly concerned about the safety of my and our sons.

I shook my head. "No, they are more like period cramps only in my pelvic area." I explained the best way I knew how.

"What do you want to do, Bella? It is your body so only you can make this call. If you feel like our boys may be in danger then my opinion is to go and have them checked. If you feel like they are truly okay then my opinion is for us to crawl into bed and see what the night brings." He said rubbing my hips soothingly.

"I don't feel like the boys are in danger but I don't think I could rest without knowing for certain. Are you okay to make a trip to the ER?" I asked because he had been in bed when I had walked from the bathroom.

"If it makes you feel better then I am always up for a late night trip."

I nodded in acceptance. "Okay, call Dr. Gerandy and let him know what is going on while I slip some warmer pajamas on." I told him as I turned around limping towards the closet.

I didn't realize how stressed out I was until I heard the steady heartbeats of each of the boys echo in the small room we were in. After an hour of monitoring the babies' heartbeats and an ultrasound to check on their well-being and uterus wall we were discharged with some things to watch for over the next few days. Dr. Gerandy told me that it would be okay to still teach as long as the cramping wasn't that bad and I experienced no abnormal discharge.

"Well that was a whole lot of wasted effort and time." I complained as I dragged my exhausted butt up the stairs towards our bedroom.

"At least we got a peek at the boys again and got to listen to their heartbeats for a bit. In my book, that's not a complete and total loss." Edward said as he crawled into bed beside me. "Plus we know that everything is okay with you and them." He tugged me flush against his chest resting his hands on my rounded stomach.

I just hummed in response because I was already well on my way to lala land.

Wednesday found me still limping as Edward and I walked hand-in-hand into the school with another of my photo albums under my arm and our bags over his shoulder. I spent the morning trekking back and forth from my classroom to the library because my freshman and sophomore classes were doing research papers. The freshmen were doing a research paper from a pre-approved list of writers from the Romanticism period while the sophomores were doing a paper on romantic plays throughout history. The assignments seemed fitting since Valentine's Day was this Friday. All of the walking seemed to help with my discomfort and my limp became less prominent as the morning wore on.

"You okay, Mrs. Masen?" Victoria and James asked me at the same time as they fell into step on either side of me as I headed for our classroom.

I smiled at them and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just going through the pains of my body growing and adjusting to being pregnant with twins." I told them as a particularly rough jab stopped me in the hallway because of the pain in my leg and lack of room for my lungs to expand. "Oh." I said as I leaned to the left a little bit trying to ease the discomfort but that earned me a particularly rough jab from Trystan. It was a no win situation because one's head was up and the other's was down.

"Does it really hurt that bad?" Victoria asked as James just watched me with wide eyes.

I took a deep breath when I felt Jaylon's head shift down a little bit out of my ribs so that I could resume my trek once again. "It's not that bad, more uncomfortable than anything else. The doctors say it's just my body adjusting. When the boys stretch is when it causes me to gasp or stop moving." I explained as we turned into the classroom with them going to their seats in the back of the room.

Instead of sitting on top of my desk today I just leaned against the side of with my palms flat on the surface behind me trying to give them some extra room. "I like that outfit, Mrs. Masen." Mary Beth said once the bell rang announcing the beginning of class. I was wearing a long teal blue and white chevron striped skirt that trailed all the way to the floor and a belted black elbow length shirt.

"Thanks, Mary Beth. I was aiming for comfort today after our late night foray to the hospital last night." I told her as she sat down in her desk pulling the journal from her bag along with the tape recorder they had been using to record me as I relay our history to them on story days.

She looked at me with wide eyes. "Is everything okay with you and the babies?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just growing pains apparently." I told her as the bell rang announcing the start of class. "Who's ready to go to New York today?" I asked them as I turned on the projector head.

"I've always wanted to go to New York City!" Several of the students exclaimed in excitement.

"Is it as amazing as people make it out to be?" James asked.

"I guess it depends on who the person is and what they like. It is pretty amazing but severely overcrowded and busy nearly 24/7. We enjoyed seeing the sights but we were also ready to get back to our small existence when our time was up. But before we get to New York we have some shopping to do among other things. Every girl dreams of shopping for their wedding dress with their closet girlfriends and mother. I got that experience but not like any of you would think because…"


	30. Mother Nature can be a real

**Chapter 30**

**Mother Nature can be a real…**

The few weeks between Halloween and Thanksgiving had never gone so fast in my entire life. Today was a monumental moment in my life, I was picking out my wedding dress. Almost everybody has called me a procrastinator considering we were getting married nine days from now but I kept telling them all that I didn't want to worry about not fitting into a gown and I didn't want all the frills and layers and busyness on my gown so it shouldn't be hard to find. Boy was I wrong.

I had in my head the kind of dress that I wanted and I had yet to find one that just sung to my heart strings and this was our fourth store we were going to. Rose, Alice, and Kate were with me in person while Esme was with me via facetime. "I hope we find it in here otherwise I may consider it a sign." I grumbled as I pulled open the door the final wedding boutique on Alice's short list. Rose, Kate, and I hadn't thought to think ahead and make a list of boutiques in the area but Alice had saved our lives and had come prepared.

"Chin up, Bella. It will be here. I have a good feeling about it." Esme's voice sounded from Rosalie's phone.

I smiled as I took the phone from her. "I wish you could be here for this." I told her softly while Alice and Kate went to tell the boutique clerk's that we were here. She had also made appointments at all the boutiques on her list.

"I know, sweetheart, I wish I was there to but Carlisle couldn't get the time off but we will be there by Monday afternoon." She said touching the screen as if stroking the side of my face. "You are going to make a beautiful bride, Isabella."

My eyes began to water at her sincerity. "Thanks, Esme. Here we go. Wish me luck." I told her as I handed Rose back her phone as Alice, Kate, and two clerks walked up to our small group.

"Which one is the bride?" The short blonde haired one said.

I held my hand up and they both smiled at me. "Come with us then, you can explain what you want in a dress on the way to the dressing room." Said the blonde one while the black haired one spoke to the rest of my group guiding them to the viewing room.

"What do you see as your dream wedding dress?"

I smiled and closed my eyes stopping for a moment. "Simple elegance. Lots of lace, almost vintage looking with a silk or satin lining underneath. No flowers. No jewels. No taffeta. No train. Nothing but lace and elegance." I whispered softly as I pictured my dream dress in my mind.

The warm hand on my arm caused me to pop open my eyes. "I think we have the perfect dress for you. It just came to us yesterday from Paris. If you will wait in here, I will go get it for you." The clerk said with a huge smile on her face.

"Thanks…" I trailed off because I didn't know her name.

"Amber. Sorry, I always forget to introduce myself." She said with a roll of her eyes which caused me to laugh.

"It's okay, Amber. I'm Bella, by the way." I said holding my hand out to her.

She shook my hand gently. "Lovely name for a lovely bride. I will be right back."

I sat down on the little cushioned ottoman in the corner of the room fidgeting with the hem of my dress I had slipped on because I knew I would be having to strip and change a lot today. "Here it is. Is this what you imagined?" Amber said as she walked through the curtain holding up a beautifully detailed wedding dress that matched my imagination…perfectly.

"It's perfect." I whispered as I brought my fingers to my mouth as I took in the creation before me with wide eyes. "It actually exists."

Amber smiled and nodded as she hung the dress on the hook in the wall of the dressing room. "I thought you may like it. Do you need help slipping into it?" She asked quietly.

I shook my head. "No, I think I can manage. Thank you so much, Amber." I told her as I unzipped the clear bag running my fingers over the delicate looking lace. The dress was absolutely amazing. It had long lace sleeves that you would be able to see my skin through until you got to the chest area. The underlayment looked like a straight sheath all the way to the floor that may possibly float around my hips a little bit. It had a square neckline with the sheath underneath but the lace came up higher before crawling over the shoulders. I couldn't help the tremble that took place in my fingers as I slipped out of the dress I was wearing before pulling the delicate dress off the hanger. I turned the dress around in my hand taking my first glance at the back. "Oh." I said out loud as I looked at how low on my back it would dip with nothing covering almost my entire back.

I smiled as I eased myself into the dress which fit amazingly well. The lace hugged my shoulders and arms before trailing down to the floor. The satin sheath underneath the lace felt cool against my skin and I couldn't help but smile at my reflection in the mirror. This was my dress. I quickly pulled my phone off the small ottoman dialing Edward's number as tears welled in my eyes. "I see you are still alive despite all the shopping." Edward's teasing voice echoed through the phone.

"I found it." I whispered into the phone.

I heard Edward sigh and the voices in the background faded as I presumed he walked away from the other guys as they were all getting their outfits for the wedding too. "You okay? Does it match what you pictured?"

"It does and I am fine. Amazingly fine. It's perfect, Edward. I didn't think I would ever find it." I told him quietly as I ran my fingers over the lace gently.

"It was just waiting for you to find it, baby. Buy it and knock my socks off with it next weekend. I love you." He said bringing a smile to my face instantly.

"Okay. I love you too. Are you going to knock my socks off next weekend too?" I asked him playfully.

He chuckled through the phone. "Lord, I hope not. One of us needs to be conscious through the ceremony but we do have our shirts and pants all picked out and bought." He said reassuring me.

"Okay, babe. Thank you." I whispered into the phone.

"My pleasure, baby. I love you from now until forever."

"As I love you from now until forever." I said and after that we hung up and I walked out of the dressing room to where Amber stood waiting. "This is it." I told as I ran my fingers across the satin bow that wound around my waist adding a little detail and definition. It didn't end in a bow or flower or anything, it simply came to an end at the vee of my lower back.

"You look amazing in it. Follow me." She said guiding me to where all my friends were waiting. I smiled as all their jaws dropped when I walked into the room.

"You look beautiful, baby girl. You are going to make Edward faint!" I heard Esme say through Rosalie's phone.

I fanned my face as my tears began to drop. "Thanks, Esme. I can't believe I found it." I told her as Rose stepped up handing me her phone with tears in her eyes too.

"You look beautiful, Bells, absolutely radiant." She whispered wiping a tear from my cheek.

"Thanks, Rose." I said squeezing her hand as she walked back over to the other women. "Do you like it, Esme?" I asked her as I spun to face the mirrors behind me. As I showed her my reflection in the mirror I heard all the girls in the background talking about how they loved the back of the dress.

"My opinion doesn't matter, sweet girl. But yes I love it." She said as she wiped tears from her eyes too.

"You opinion does matter. To me it does." I told her with a smile on my face. "Look at the back!" I told her as I turned my back to the mirror holding the camera over my shoulder.

Her silence had me worried so I pulled the phone back where I could see her face and she had her mouth dropped open in shock. "Too much?" I asked her worriedly.

She snapped her mouth shut shaking her head. "Not at all. Edward will love it! It's gorgeous, Bella."

I purchased the dress and took it home in a solid black bag that couldn't be seen through to keep Edward's prying eyes off of it.

"Edward!?" I called out as I walked through the front door of our apartment.

He walked into the living room with his phone pressed to his ear and a frown on his face. I immediately knew something wasn't right and it caused me to worry tremendously. "What's wrong?" I asked quietly as I walked up to him laying my dress across the back of the couch.

He just looked at me and shook his head while tugging me into his arms where I went willingly. "Yes sir, I understand. Thank you for calling." Edward said as he clicked his phone off.

"Who was that?" I asked quietly as I tucked my fingers into the waistband of his pajama pants.

"Reverend Walter." He said kissing the top of my head gently.

I looked up at him as I snuggled against his chest. "What did he want? We don't have to see him until next Friday."

"A tree fell through the church during last night's storm. He was calling to tell us that we can't have our wedding there but we can have it at the newer church here in town. I told him I would talk to you and call him back in the morning with an answer." He said softly.

I shook my head. "I loved the history and strength that church represented. As much as I want to marry you, I don't want to do it in another church on such short notice. Especially that church, it doesn't do it for me." I whispered against his throat.

"Okay, baby. We can just postpone it and find a different location. It was just family there any ways so we can call all of them in the morning." He said as he kissed the top of my head.

"I just found my perfect dream dress." I whispered into his chest.

"I know, baby. I'm so sorry." He whispered as he rocked us back and forth as we absorbed the news that we wouldn't be getting married in eight days.

I tightened my arms around his waist. "It's not your fault, babe. It was a force of nature working against us."

"I don't need a piece of legal paper to prove to you how much I love you and how much we mean to each other. Do you?" He asked as his hands framed my face wiping my few stray tears away.

I shook my head. "No but I wanted to be Mrs. Edward Masen more than I've ever wanted anything before. I'm just disappointed." I said quietly.

"I'm disappointed to, baby, more than I'm probably letting on. I wanted you to be my wife and for me to be your husband just as badly as you did if not a little bit worse. I love you, Isabella, and you will be my wife one of these days." He said as he looked at me with his intense gaze.

I nodded as I looked up at him. "Show me how much you love me." I whispered quietly.

He smiled as he quickly lifted me causing me to wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. "My pleasure, Isabella."

"Our pleasure." I told him huskily as he lowered us onto our bed.

"You okay, baby?" Edward asked as I hung up from talking to my father and letting him know that the wedding was cancelled for the time being. He was the last person to be called since I hadn't wanted to have that conversation while he was at work.

I nodded and smiled at my father's ridiculous outburst. "Yeah, Charlie thought I was pregnant and didn't want to get married while I was pregnant."

Edward's mouth fell open. "What?"

I just laughed at his expression. "Yeah, pretty much my reaction too."

"You did tell him it's not true, right?" He whispered with a slightly scared wobble to his voice.

"You're not scared of Charlie are you?" I teased him.

He shook his head. "Not at all. I'm scared of Chief Swan who has permission to carry a loaded firearm." He admitted with a huge smile. "And use it."

"He's harmless, really. A lot like you, all talk and no action." I said as I placed a soothing kiss on the side of his head.

He just laughed as he tossed me over his shoulder playfully swatting me on the ass as he did. "I'll show you all talk and no action." He said as he tossed me on the center of our bed.

I scooted back away from him as he stripped his shirt over his head. "I think I may like your talk and your action." I whispered huskily as I watched him shuck his basketball shorts and boxers in one fell swoop.

"Good, let's make sure though." He said as he slid onto the bed beside me.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Despite calling and telling Esme and Charlie that our wedding plans had been foiled by a tree falling through our church they all still wanted to come out and spend the week with all of us. Charlie was going to spend Monday night at our apartment to get over his jet lag before dealing with his granddaughters while Esme and Carlisle were going to stay with Alice and Jasper for a few days.

"Fancy meeting you two here." Jasper said as Bella and I walked into the waiting lounge of the airport while we waited on our parent's flight to arrive.

"Haha." I told him as I gave him and Alice a hug. "How are you guys?" I asked them as we all settled onto two couches that were in the corner of the room.

"We're good. How are you guys dealing with the wedding being cancelled?" Alice asked as she leaned into Jasper's side.

I shrugged as Edward tugged me into his side. "We're disappointed but there is nothing we can do about mother-nature." He said placing a gentle kiss to the top of my head.

Jasper nodded in agreement as he smiled at us. "It's nice for us all to be able to do this." He said quietly, so quietly I almost didn't catch it.

"It is. We're all grown up's and we need to act like it. You and Edward are brothers and that bond is more important than the bullshit that happened between you and I. Besides, we are all happy now and at the end of the day that is what counts.

"Very well spoken, Isabella. I knew I raised you right." A voice said behind me startling me.

"Dad!" I squealed as I practically hopped over the couch into his arms. Charlie just laughed as he pulled me tightly into his arms. "I've missed you, old man." I whispered into his ear causing him to squeeze me just a little bit tighter.

"I missed you too, Bella." He said as he finally released me. "Nice to see you all getting along without us parents interfering." He said as he shook Edward's hand and then Jasper's before giving Alice a hug that she apparently thought wasn't good enough because she pulled him in for another wrapping her arms completely around his neck. I watched my dad's face go red with embarrassment as she placed a kiss on his cheek once he released her. "Hello, pixie." He said playfully mocking her height.

"Where's Ma?" Edward asked looking around.

Charlie laughed. "Oh you know your mother, she had to bring the girls presents so she has like six or seven suitcases with her. She and Carlisle are collecting them all." Charlie said shaking his head as he shouldered his duffel bag that he had carried around with him since I was a small child.

"I figured since finding out we weren't coming back to Forks for Christmas that she would try to fit Christmas in with this trip too." Edward said throwing his arm over my shoulders.

Charlie nodded. "She may have mentioned it."

"Figures." Edward said nodding in agreement just as we heard her scream from somewhere behind us. "We're here! We're here!" she called out as Carlisle pulled a luggage cart behind him that was piled up high with suitcases.

"Geez, Ma, how much did you have to pay for all those extra suitcases?" Edward said teasingly as he pulled her into his arms. He was a momma's boy at heart and it was heart aching to watch them together after a separation of any kind.

She slapped his chest as she pulled back. "Nothing, I just used Charlie's and Carlisle's slots since they pack in a damn carry-on for all week." She said as she pulled me into her arms. "Hi, sweet girl." She said sweetly.

"Hi, Esme." I whispered into her neck as I breathed in her 'mom' scent that never failed to relax me and make me feel at home no matter where I was.

She pulled back cupping my face. "How are you?" She asked quietly.

I smiled and shrugged which caused her to pull me back into her arms and Edward to rub my back soothingly. I cried softly into her neck, hiding my tears from everybody else. "I wanted it so much." I whispered quietly.

"Oh, I know you did, sweetheart. You can still have it. Look on the bright side, you get to practice for the honeymoon just a little bit longer." She said quietly which caused me to chuckle and pull back from her.

She reached up and wiped my cheeks free of the tears that had spilled out. "I never thought of it like that." I told her as I winked at Edward over my shoulder which caused my dad to groan.

"I don't even want to know. Is there any place good around her to grab something to eat?" He asked effectively diverting the conversation away from my sexual relationship with Edward.

I laughed as I kissed Esme on the cheek before settling back under Edward's protective arm. "What are you in the mood for, chief?" Edward asked leading us all out of the airport.

"You guys coming to eat with us or heading straight home?" I asked Alice and Jasper as we headed for the parking lot while our parents waited on the curb with all the luggage.

Jasper looked to Alice who just smiled at him. "I think we're just gonna head straight home. Alice has dinner planned for us." He said which caused Alice to grin.

Edward looked scared and I just laughed. "Good luck, Alice. We will see you guys Wednesday for lunch, right?"

"Yep. See you then. I'm sorry about the cancelled plans, I was looking forward to it." Jasper said as he gave me a gentle hug before shaking Edward's hand firmly.

Edward and I both nodded. "Thanks, Jazz. See you guys Wednesday. Enjoy the parents." I called to them as we headed for Edward's Volvo.

The week flew by and before I knew it, it was Thanksgiving morning. "Wake up." I whispered against Edward's ear which caused him to groan and roll completely onto his back.

"We didn't go to sleep but a few hours ago." He complained as he blinked open his eyes sleepily.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you complaining?" I whispered as I nipped him on the shoulder.

He quickly shook his head. "Not at all, baby." He said pulling me astride his hips and suddenly awake erection. "I had to get over my irrational fear one way or another. Why not make love with my sexy fiancée all night while my mother sleeps across the apartment?" He asks playfully as he lifts my hips up lining me up perfectly for penetration.

"Exact-" my words were cut off as he slammed me down onto him at the same time he lifted his hips off the bed. "-ly." I finished as I splayed my fingers across his chest as he set a brutal rhythm pounding into me which caused my body to reach its precipice rather instantaneously. Once we both lay panting on the bed as dawn began creeping through our bedroom window. "I think you're over it considering your mother has been in the kitchen for at least an hour." I told him as I placed a kiss in the center of his chest.

"What?" He asked shocked.

I giggled as I sat up which caused him to groan considering he was still inside me and getting hard again rather quickly. "Yep. That's what I originally woke you up for." I said as I scratched my nails lightly on his chest. "Happy Thanksgiving, Edward Anthony." I whispered quietly as I cupped the side of his face. "You have given me a lot to be thankful for this year."

He reached up grabbing my face tugging me down until our lips met in a passionate kiss. "You have given me reason to want to wake up every morning and be alive, Isabella. For that I am intensely thankful." He said as we tried to catch our breath from the passionate kisses we had just shared.

"How about you show me how intensely you are thankful in the shower?" I asked breathlessly.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Esme just grinned at us as we walked into the kitchen, both with wet hair and smiles to match. "Good morning." She said giving me a hug and her son a pointed look.

"Morning, Ma." Edward said as he leaned down kissing her on the cheek. "Happy Thanksgiving." He whispered against her ear.

She just smiled at him and pointed to the counter behind him. "It's over there, Edward. No need in sucking up." She said which caused me to giggle and Edward to smile in triumph.

"And Jasper's not here to hog it all." He said as he opened the lid on a crock pot I had never seen before inhaling the aroma of the homemade hot chocolate that Esme always prepared for the holidays. Edward pulled two mugs from the cabinet and fixed both of us a cup of the decadent hot chocolate topping them both with a swirl of whip cream. He handed me mine as he leaned back against the counter beside me groaning as he sipped his drink. "What did you add to it this year?" He asked when he went back for seconds. I was only about a third of the way through my first cup.

"A little rum." Esme said non-chalantly with a shrug of her shoulders as she diced an onion on the island countertop.

Edward hummed in approval as he sipped his newly refilled cup. "It's really good. There may not be any left by the time Jasper gets here." He said with a grin aimed in his mother's direction.

"That's okay because I have another crock pot going in the library." She said giving him the same grin he had given her.

Edward pouted playfully as I sat my cup aside ready to get to work preparing dinner. "That's not fair, Ma. I'm the favorite." He said as he placed my cup in the sink rinsing it out first.

"You are both my favorites, Edward Anthony. Get out of here." She said shooing him out of the kitchen.

"Fine. I love you both." He said as he headed for the living room.

"I love you too." Esme and I both called back to him causing all three of us to laugh.

Thanksgiving was a pretty typical affair. Fighting over the last cup of hot chocolate. Eating too much. Getting riled up over the football game. Playing with the girls. Enjoying each other's company.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Just because our wedding got cancelled due to natural disasters doesn't mean we can't enjoy our honeymoon plans that had already been paid for. Our original reservation had been for Saturday night through Monday morning but we decided to go up a day early on Friday to have a full weekend. We were both playing hooky on Monday so that we wouldn't have to spend our entire weekend driving.

"Wow!" I said staring out the window of the Volvo as Edward drove us to the hotel where we had reservations.

Edward squeezed my knee dragging my attention back to him. "You've never been here before, have you?" He asked quietly.

I shook my head. "No, I've never had the urge to come up here even though it's not that far from home." I told him as I took everything in as we drove through Times Square very slowly.

"I'm glad it's where I chose to have our honeymoon at, then. It's an amazing experience." He said quietly.

"How many times have you been up here?"

"Twice. Once for my twenty first birthday and once the day you three made the move to join me in Rhode Island, although I don't remember much from that trip." He said with a wince.

"Was it that bad for you? Us all moving to Rhode Island?" I asked softly.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Yes and no. Yes because for once I didn't have to watch my idiot of a brother screw up a relationship with the best girl on earth. No, because it brought you closer to me."

"Huh."

"Yep. We're here."

The hotel was amazing as was the entire weekend. We explored the city both at night and during the day and while I loved all the lights and people and constant movement I was eager to return to our small sanctuary we called home.


	31. Now 16

**Thanks to the few of you that pointed out the name typo!**

**Its fixed now!**

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**Chapter 31**

**Now**

"Was your actual wedding similar to the way your first one was or did your preferences change over the years?" Leslie asked quietly.

I smiled. "It was very similar actually. I wore the same wedding dress that I had originally picked out all those years ago, even though it had to be altered just a little bit." I said holding my fingers up just a smidge apart.

The entire class busted out laughing at that. "A person's body changes over the years so it was honestly unthinkable and unrealistic for me to have the same body at twenty five that I had at twenty years old."

"How come you never mention any birthday celebrations? Yours or Mr. M's?" Victoria asked curiously.

I smiled. "Edward knows from our childhood that I don't like to celebrate my birthday. I never have so we just never made a big deal about them. He usually just serves me breakfast in bed or cooks dinner for us or something simple like that. He then slips my presents either into my jewelry box, our dresser, our closet, or something similar so I don't even realize I have something new until a few days have passed. When possible we will have a huge family dinner for his birthday with everybody gathered around but he doesn't like to make a big deal out of it either." I explained as I pressed on the side of my stomach to try and get Jaylon off of my bladder where he seemed to be sleeping at.

"You've never liked celebrating your birthdays?" Mary-Beth asked curiously.

I shook my head. "No. Being raised by a single father I guess is partly to blame because we've never done anything huge to celebrate. Nine times out of ten my dad had to work and I would be playing in the station house while he did that. Until Esme came into our lives we would go to the local diner where the servers would place a candle in a cupcake after we had dinner."

"You really spent most of your childhood in a police station? What about when your father got called out on a call?"

I giggled because they were probably picturing something completely different from what the police station in Forks looks like. "You guys have to remember that I grew up in a very tiny town where the worst offence was an occasional disturbing the peace from teenagers or speeding. Until my father retired he had pulled his weapon only three times and had only shot it once and that was the day he was injured. Plus, if he got called away the other deputies watched me or the secretary would. The entire town helped my dad and me out whenever it was needed because they all witnessed my mother leaving town that day."

They all nodded in understanding and the questions ceased after that. "Okay, any questions about your assignments?"

They all shook their heads.

"Okay, you guys have a great day!" I called as the bell rang dismissing them.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby." Edward said Friday morning as I stood at the counter waiting for my bagels to pop out of the toaster.

I groaned and shook my head. "Please tell me you didn't get me anything. You know how I feel about this hallmark made holiday." I said without turning to face him.

He wrapped his arms around my waist splaying his hands on either side of my stomach, essentially cradling our sons. "I wouldn't dare upset you on this day by giving you an amazing gift from me and our sons, but that doesn't stop me from telling you Happy Valentine's Day."

My bagels popped up just then so I reached around giving Edward a gentle kiss before shoving him out of the way with my hips. "Good boy." I said cheekily as I spread my strawberry cream cheese on my toasted bagels.

He popped me on the butt with a wound dish towel as he pulled the eggs from the fridge. "Make you think 'good boy'." He snarked as he busted eggs into a bowl to scramble.

I wasn't the least bit shocked when Mary Beth walked into class a few hours into the school day with a small gift bag in her hands. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mrs. Masen." She said as she handed me the small bag on her way to her desk.

"Did he put you up to this?" I asked her with a scowl on my face because I honestly disliked being on the receiving end of gifts. My dislike bordered on hatred at times and this was about to be one of those times.

Mary Beth just shrugged and smiled. "I plead the fifth because I have been warned about your reaction to receiving gifts for yourself especially on this day." She said with a huge smile on her face.

"I'm gonna murder him when we get home." I mumbled under my breath as I stuck my hand in the bag finding a small square box inside that was no doubt some type of jewelry box.

I pulled the box out as the rest of the students trickled in the classroom whispering amongst themselves. I took a deep breath before flipping the lid open on the box revealing a truly beautiful necklace. It was a silver necklace with a circle charm that upon close inspection was engraved, there was also two little feet charms laying on top of the circle plate. The inscription simply read 'We love you, mommy!' with Jaylon and Trystan's names on the back. I blinked my eyes rapidly to hold back the tears as I fingered the tiny little charms on the necklace.

"Oh, Isabella, you weren't supposed to cry." I heard Edward say as he strolled into the class pulling me close to him with one arm while wiping my tears with the other.

I slapped him on the chest before shoving him away from me which earned a chuckle from him and boisterous laughter from all the students. "Yeah, you weren't supposed to get me anything either. You told me this morning that you wouldn't dare do something like that." I told him with a glare as I pointed my finger in his direction.

He just smiled at me. "I didn't technically get you the gift. Ma paid for it. Ali picked it up. Mary Beth delivered it." He said with a wink in Mary Beth's direction.

I just raised an eyebrow at him. "Who brought it to Mary Beth to give to me?"

He held his hands up and shook his head. "Not me. I'm not sure if Jasper or Alice brought it but I know it wasn't me." He said cockily.

"It was Mr. Whitlock that brought it to me." Mary Beth supplied quietly.

"I guess that's okay then, although I will be having a chat later with Esme, Alice, and Jasper. They know how I feel about this damn day." I grumbled as I handed Edward the box before turning my back to him. "It's beautiful by the way. Put it on me, please." I told him as I lifted my hair up so he could put the necklace on me.

I'm not sure what he did while my back was turned to him but my entire class laughed at whatever it was. "I love you, Isabella." Edward whispered as he turned me back around once the necklace was in place.

I stood on my tiptoes giving him a gentle kiss before shoving him out the door. "I love you too, Edward Anthony. Thank you for the necklace. Now get to class so I can teach mine."

Later that night Edward and I were cooking dinner side by side when he broached the subject of Valentine's gift. "How would you feel about going to get a prenatal massage?" Edward asked as he stirred the hamburger meat in the skillet for spaghetti.

I stared into the bot of bubbling aromatic sauce thinking over his question. The doctor had suggested trying that to help alleviate my pelvic discomfort that had eased but refused to completely disappear.

"That sounds wonderful, babe. Will you go with and get a massage too?" I asked him quietly because I knew he was stressed these days with worry for me and our boys along with the normal day to day lives.

He nodded beside me. "Of course, baby. We will get a couples massage but yours will be a prenatal one. We can go tomorrow to get them done if you are game."

"Sounds like a plan to me." I told him as I added the noodles to a pot of boiling water on the back burner. "You already have appointments made don't you?" I teased him as I stirred the spaghetti sauce that was bubbling on the front burner.

He smiled sheepishly at me. "I do. I've had them since Wednesday morning.." He said softly from his position beside me.

"You amaze me, babe. But, I hate to tell you this but I won't have my normal gait back until these little monsters are out of me." I told him rubbing a hand over my taught stomach that kept me from looking at my feet these days.

Edward scoffed at me. "My sons are not little monsters. They are perfect little angels."

I had to laugh at that one. "Yeah, Jaylon keeps using my bladder for his seat while Trystan wants to use my ribs for a foot rest. They're angels okay."

"That's not their fault, baby. Whether they are angels or monsters we will love them all the same."

I patted his cheek because he knew he was right. "Right you are, babe. Despite whatever havoc they wreak on my insides I still love them more than anything in this world besides you." I told him rubbing a loving hand across my sons.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Did you give Mr. M a hard time over the necklace?" Mary Beth asked as she walked into the class on Monday morning.

I smiled and shook my head. "No, he did good by playing it safe for a change. So are you his little spy?" I asked her as she sat in her seat. He had redeemed himself by offering up the couples massage on Saturday. It was rather amazing how much the massage had actually helped. After a little massage and readjustment all of my pelvic discomfort had been alleviated.

She blushed similarly to how I usually did when embarrassed. "I wouldn't consider myself a spy. He just asked me to keep an eye on you after you guys made that trip to the ER a few months ago." She said shyly.

"Thanks, Mary Beth. I appreciate you helping to ease his nerves. Because of some of the pregnancy related things we have seen he is extremely stressed and worried about me during this pregnancy." I explained to her with a roll of my eyes since it was just the two of us in the classroom.

Her eyes went wide with that admission. "Is everything okay with you and the babies?" She asked nervously.

I nodded as I smoothed my hands down my tunic like shirt I was wearing today. "Yeah, everything is fine with us but we have both seen and experienced bad things with pregnancies in our families. You heard about Rose's traumatic end to her pregnancy and that is only the beginning of our bad experiences." I explained to her honestly.

"Are you going to be able to teach until the end of the school year?"

"I honestly don't know, Mary Beth. I'm going to try my best to make it as far as I possibly can but if it becomes harmful to me or the babies then I will have to go on maternity leave early. We will all just have to wait and see." I told her and the several other students that had filtered into the classroom.

"Where were we?" I asked them once the bell had rung. I sat on top of my desk on a pillow that I was hoping would keep my hips from hurting by sitting on the hard unforgiving desk. The massage therapist had suggested trying it and I was willing to try anything to keep the pain away.

Mike raised his hand. I nodded in his direction to indicate it was okay to go ahead. "You and Mr. M had just come back from NYC."

I smiled and nodded. "Christmas break that year is where I think we will go next. It was absolutely magical that year with…"


	32. Collision of Past, Present, and Future

**For some reason there is some confusion about this chapter, it originally showed up as chapter 33 because 32 was the AN explaining my computer problems. I posted this chapter before deleting the AN so it showed up as Chapter 33 but is really chapter 32.**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Collision of past, present, and future…**

The final days of classes and preparing for finals helped push the impending trip to Florida to the back of my mind and for that I was grateful.

"Are you ever going to access your trust fund that Renee left you?" Edward asked one night as he sat on the bed folding our clothes that we were taking to Florida with us.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. Do you think I should?" I asked curiously as I packed the folded clothes into our suitcases.

"She wouldn't have left it for you, baby, if she didn't want you to have it." Edward said brilliantly.

"I know. I just feel like some of that money should go to Tarah and Sarah." I told him quietly.

Edward nodded seeing my point of view. "Maybe they have their own trust funds. Why don't you call Phil and ask him. I'm sure he would tell you if they have one or not. Hell, he may even be open to hearing your opinions about the money."

I nodded as I pulled my phone from between my legs dialing Phil's number. "Hello Bella."

"Hi, Phil. I hate to bother you but I have a few questions that only you can answer." I told him honestly.

He chuckled through the phone. "Fire away. Knowing your mother the way that I did, I am assuming that it was Edward's idea that you call me with your questions."

"It was. It's about the trust fund that Renee left me that I now have access to."

He sighed as if he knew this was coming. "She wanted you to have that, Bella."

"I know she did. She explained that in the letter she wrote me. Do Tarah and Sarah have trust funds also?" I asked quietly.

"They do, my son had one also until he passed away when he was only seventeen years old. The money after his funeral expenses were paid was distributed between all three of you girls. Tarah and Sarah don't have near the amount that you have but they are still fairly young." He explained quietly.

I hung my head as I sighed. "I'm sorry about your son. I didn't even know you had one. That clears up a lot of doubts for me." I told him sincerely.

"My pleasure to be able to clear up any doubts you had. My son's name was Matthew and he died in a car accident about a year after I met your mother. Do you have any more doubts or questions?" He asked quietly.

"I don't think so. I will go access the trust account in the morning before my last final then we are flying out to Virginia tomorrow afternoon at three." I told him as I packed another stack into the suitcase.

He chuckled. "Okay. Good luck on your test tomorrow and we will see you when you get here."

"Thanks Phil. We will be there on the 23rd."

"Okay." I hung up the phone and smiled at Edward. "Thank you."

He nodded as he handed me another stack of clothes. "My job and my pleasure."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"You ready to go, baby?" Edward asked as he stuffed the last of our suitcases into the trunk of his car.

I nodded as I walked out of our apartment building entrance. "Yep, I think we've got everything." I told him as I skipped over to him. "I love you, you know that?" I asked him as I waltzed right into his arms. Today has been a good day and I hoped it continued to stay that way. This morning was a productive morning for us both as a couple and for me as a daughter. Edward and I decided to open a joint checking account and transferred a significant amount from each of our trust funds into the account leaving the rest of our money in savings accounts until we needed it. My initial trust fund was a shocking 1.7 million dollars which stunned me silent for a few minutes. Thankfully my last final of the semester was a breeze because my brain was still trying to wrap around how much money I had at my disposal. Despite the balance in our checking and savings accounts I couldn't see us taking advantage of it and changing our lives drastically. I was raised on a small town cop's salary and frugality will forever be ingrained into my brain.

He smirked as he wrapped his arms around my waist, locking them at the small of my back. "I love you too. I don't know what I would do without you in my world. You are a dream come true."

"You are my dream come true." I told him as I sunk my fingers into his hair angling his head so I could seal our lips together in a heated kiss. His hands slid down from my back to my butt that was clad in my travelling blue jeans. I squealed into his mouth when his hands clamped onto my ass lifting me off the ground and setting me on the trunk of the car. "Edward!" I said when we broke for a breath.

He just winked at me as he dove back in for another kiss. We made out on the trunk of the car until one of our neighbors honked at us as they drove by. "I lose my mind when I'm around you." He said as he placed a gentler kiss on my lips before helping me back to the ground.

"Same here, handsome. Let's get this show on the road, we have half an hour before we have to be at the airport."

Walking up the little stone path in front of the gigantic majestic house that my ancestor's build meticulously by hand. "This is beautiful." Edward said as he drug our suitcases up onto the porch.

I nodded as I pulled the key from my pocket that I had gotten in the mail along with the letter, pictures, and all the legal documents Renee had sent me. "It is." I said inserting the key into the lock unlocking my history and possibly my future. "You need help?" I asked him as I got the last lock unlocked.

"Nope, I've got it." He said as he rolled and bumped our large suitcases up the steps. The house didn't smell musty at all so I assumed that Phil had come through with his offer to ask the lady that watched over the house to give a fresh scrub and air out. "This is amazing craftsmanship, Bella." Edward commented as he walked into the foyer of the house.

I shut what felt like a solid wood or steel door behind him to keep the house nice and warm. "I'm glad Phil came through with the cleaning lady and had the utilities all turned back on." I told Edward as I walked into his open arms.

"Yeah but he seems like he's the type of man to carry through with what he says." Edward said quietly as we each took in the empty rooms around us. "Do you know what happened to all the furniture and stuff from your grandparents?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. Phil just said that he and Renee hadn't been here for almost nine years. Maybe it's stored up in the attic or in the basement?" I told him with a shrug of my shoulders. "Feel like exploring around?" I asked him quietly.

He nodded. "Absolutely. Do you?"

I pulled back from him and couldn't contain the smile that spread across my face. "Yes. Where shall we start?" I asked looking around at the various doorways and rooms not knowing what each was intended to be used as or originally used as.

"How about we start in the attic and work our way down?" Edward suggested. "We can drag our luggage up to the second floor that way."

I nodded and grabbed one of the bags. We had had to pack a variety of clothes because we were going to be spending our holiday break in several different climate zones. "Sounds like a plan." I told him as I headed up the beautifully hand crafted staircase. "Renee's letter indicated that this house was designed by my great grandmother and built by my great grandfather." I told Edward as we headed up the stairs just to strike up conversation.

"That's cool. The house is beautiful with so much character."

I nodded as we reached the landing of the second floor. I stood in the 'entry way' to the second floor and counted five doors and a hallway. "I wonder how many bedrooms and bathrooms it is?" I asked nobody in particular as we stacked our luggage against the wall.

"We will figure it all out, baby. Let's head on upstairs." Edward said extending his hand out for me to take.

I took it and was ecstatic that the stairs were wide enough that we could walk up them side by side without being crowded. "I don't think most attics are finished in old houses like this." Edward said as we reached the top of stairs and came face to face with three doors. One in front of us and one to either side of us. I headed for the one on my right.

"I don't think they are either but if these doors are any indication we can possibly have more bedrooms or something up here." I told him as I reached for the doorknob with a little bit of trepidation in my bones. "I just hope it's not covered in spider webs." I said as I took a deep breath twisting the knob and pushing the door open to a light filled room. "Wow." I said breathlessly as I took in the room. It wasn't spider web filled but instead was filled almost to the brim with cloth covered lumps and stacks. "Maybe this is the furniture for the house." I said as I took in the huge room that was overflowing with white lumps. Edward flipped on the light switch behind me and I saw just how big the room was. It wasn't very tall but it was long and fairly wide. It was finished so it could possibly be a bedroom or living space.

Edward stepped forward grabbing the edge of one of the cloths. "Only one way to find out." He said as he started tugging on the cloth when something caught my eye.

"Wait!" I told him as I reached for the picture frame that had come into view when he had started pulling on the cloth. "What is this?" I asked curiously as I turned the picture over in my hand and was shocked when I saw that it was house plans.

"Is that this house?" Edward asked stepping behind me to look over my shoulder.

I shrugged as I blew a breath across the glass to clear some of the dust from it so I could have a clearer view of it. "I don't know but it would be pretty cool if this is the original floor plans to this house." I told him as I wiped the glass clean as best as I could.

"It looks like the front of this house." Edward said reaching over my shoulder to run his finger along the glass.

I nodded as I reached down to grab the edge of the cloth to finish wiping the glass clean. "Look at this, Edward." I told him holding the frame up so the light shown down on it.

"My dream home. Isabella Higginbotham. 1902." Edward read the writing on the bottom of the house plans. "Wow, those are probably the first copy of the house plans ever made for this house." Edward said as we closely examined the picture.

"I'm amazed they are still readable and in such good condition." I told him as I ran my fingers along the edges of the solid frame that appeared to be about as old as the house.

Once we finished admiring the house plans Edward sat it against the wall outside the door and we began pulling the thick cloth's off the lumps in the room which was indeed furniture. It seemed like it was enough furniture to fill up the entire house to the brim. "Jesus Christ." I said exhausted as we folded the last cloth before stacking it on the pile we had already folded. "This is a lot of furniture." I said as I collapsed on the fancy chaise lounge that looked like it was practically brand new.

Edward nodded as he settled in a wing backed chair pulling my feet into his lap. "It is but it all in really great condition. I have an idea." He said with a smile on his face.

I rolled my eyes because his ideas were normally pretty good ones and were usually followed through with plans. "Don't keep it to yourself." I told him haughtily.

"How about we put all this furniture back into the house and invite everybody here for Christmas?" He said with a mega-watt smile on his face. He seemed really excite about that for some strange reason.

I mulled the idea over in my head and finally come to the conclusion that it was a brilliant idea. It would allow Tarah and Sarah to see where our mother grew up and we may just find some old photos of her in some of these rooms. It would also allow us to be near our entire family for the holidays. "I wonder how many bedrooms this place has and if there are enough to fit everyone." I mused allowed. "Do you want to call them or shall I?"

Once we had called everybody and got the final head count we got up and went to explore the rest of the house. Everybody was eager to come see the house and spend Christmas here so our final total headcount was thirteen plus us two for a total of 15 people in the house in just a few days since they were all coming out within the next couple of days. The other two rooms were finished also and were crammed with stuff. One looked like it held trunk after trunk that I didn't even delve into yet. The other held more white lumps that we decided we would uncover later after we looked at the rest of the house. "Well that's three bedrooms we can use if we have beds in all this furniture." Edward said as he pulled the last door shut behind us in the attic. We were about to descend to the second floor to start exploring there.

"Some people may have to share a room. I'm sure they will all understand." I told him as I grabbed the picture frame and started down the stairs slowly. Once we reached the second floor entry area I sat down on the stairs pulling the frame into my lap studying the floor plans. "The third floor isn't on these plans but this has four more bedrooms and a bathroom." I told Edward before propping the frame against the wall before standing up as Edward flipped off the light switch for the stairs leading up to the third floor.

Edward chuckled as he swung open the door closest to him while I crossed the space and opened the one on the opposite wall. "Bedroom." Edward call out as he walked into the room. "With a bed frame."

I smiled as I walked into the room behind my door. "Another bedroom with a bed frame." I called out to him as I tugged the cloth off the bed frame to reveal a four poster bed that nearly reached the ceiling.

"That's five bedrooms so far." Edward said as we met back up in the entry space. We headed for two of the doors that were side by side in front of us. "Closet." Edward said as he opened his door to peek inside. "With floor to floor shelves. Probably used as a linen closet."

I rolled my eyes at his obvious assumption. "Here's another bedroom." I told him as I walked into the bedroom. This one looks to be roughly the same size as the one over there." I told him pointing to the one I had walked into first.

He nodded. "I'm guessing that one over there is the master bedroom because it has the bay windows in it and two very small closets." He said tugging the sheet off the bed frame. "We're gonna have to get mattresses for all of these bed frames."

I nodded as I helped him fold the tarp up before sitting it in the floor at the foot of the bed frame. "We can do all of that tomorrow. We have our blow up mattress for tonight." I said wrapping my arms around his waist.

"This house is pretty amazing, baby." He whispered against my hair.

I smiled into his chest. "It is and I love it already. I don't think I want to get rid of it but I don't want it to sit empty either." I whispered quietly.

"Well, we can always apply for jobs in the area and live here once you get out of college." He suggested quietly.

"We'll see. We still have a little ways before we have to make those decisions."

He nodded giving me a squeeze. "Come on, we're almost done." He said quietly tugging me from the room.

We discovered another bedroom along with the only bathroom in the house so far and another set of stairs. "Why would you put two sets of stairs into a house?" I asked confused as Edward went back to get the framed plans from the other set of stairs.

"I'm not sure if your parents had servants or not but typically one set was used for the house staff and one for everybody else." Edward explained as he handed me the frame. "Two floors down, two to go." Edward said as we headed down the narrower set of stairs.

"Yay." I said dully. This is more house than I had ever seen before. "This house is huge." I grumbled as we landed on the first floor.

"That's something to think about." Edward said taking the frame from me. "It says that the kitchen is right through this doorway." He said pointing to the doorway to our right. "And a porch is through that door." He said pointing to the door to our left before scrunching his eyebrows in confusion.

"What's wrong?" I ask looking over his shoulder at the original plans.

He shook his head. "It says this area is supposed to be the entry but it's framed off with a door which aren't on the plans." He says in a confused tone.

I chuckled. "This house has been through a few generations since those plans were drawn. Maybe somebody changed something." I told him twisting the knob on the mysterious door swinging it open. "Oh my God." I said in mock horror as I looked at the bathroom laid out before us. "It's a bathroom." I said slapping my hand over my mouth dramatically.

"Haha." Edward said reaching in to flip the light switch on. "It looks to be in pretty good shape. I have to say it is a relief to have another full bathroom in the house that is going to be full with fifteen people."

I nodded as I turned and headed towards what is supposed to be the kitchen doorway. I have never in my life seen a kitchen like this and to my eye it looked to be in almost pristine condition. I located the light switch that was still visible by the late evening light coming through the windows and flipped it brightening the room with a soft glow. "Wow." I heard Edward say behind me announcing his presence. "This looks like my grandparent's kitchen from Texas."

"Really?" I asked him as I ran my fingers across the solid wood built in cabinets that spanned an entire wall. From the looks of it, they were the only cabinets in the room. "I've never seen a kitchen like this before."

He chuckled. "My grandma had an old kitchen table in the middle of the space." He said walking to roughly the center of the room. "Around about here. She used that to prepare stuff on and to stack the dirty dishes on after a meal."

I nodded. "Yeah that could work. I wonder if that fridge still works?" I asked eyeing the very old looking refrigerator.

Edward chuckled. "No idea." He said tugging the door open before frowning. "I think the answer to that question is a no."

I shook my head. "I figured as much." I told him as I turned the knob on the stove and grinned as the burner lit up with a blue glow as the gas came to it. "At least the stove works. We can get a new fridge tomorrow along with mattresses, linens, towels, and groceries." I told him as I walked through the other doorway intent on finishing this exploration.

"We are going to have a busy few days getting this house back into order." Edward said walking closely behind me. "These stairs apparently lead to a basement that isn't on the plans either." Edward said as I paused in front of the dark staircase.

I groaned. "Can we look at that tomorrow?" I grumbled quietly.

Edward chuckled. "I will just take a quick look since nobody's lived here in so long. Just for peace of mind."

I nodded as I turned to the left opening a door behind me. I could see the front door from here which meant we were almost finished. "Coat closet or something." I said quietly as I stuck my head in the tiny closet. "They sure didn't believe in big closets back then." I snarked as I headed on through the doorway into the next room. "Wow look at all these built-in's." I said as I turned a small circle in the room that must be…

"This is the dining room." Edward said informatively.

"It's beautiful." I told him as I walked through one of the two passageways on the far side of the room. "What's this supposed to be?" I asked curiously walking into a small square room that was completely bare besides the beautifully crafted walls.

"I can't discern what the plans say." Edward grumbled irritably. "This other doorway leads to the pantry while this last one leads back to the kitchen." He said pointing to each doorway.

I nodded to let him know I was listening. "This is absolutely beautiful Edward. I'm really surprised most of the original architecture is still here and hasn't been changed." I told him as I ran my hand across the side board that was still in original condition.

Edward nodded in agreement as we walked through the other entryway in the room. "Is this the living room?" I asked Edward as I walked to the rounded portion of the room looking out the windows there.

"It's labelled as the parlor but I guess that translated into the modern living room." Edward said as he set the framed house plans down. "There is supposedly and equally sized library across the entrance." He said as he wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me back against his chest.

"Great, I wonder if all the books are packed up in all of those trunks up in the attic rooms?" I asked quietly as we rocked side to side gently.

He hummed against my ear as we watched the sun set through the windows. "This is an amazing house, baby. Truly a gem saved through time."

I nodded against his chest. "It is. I think a huge Christmas tree will look perfect in this little alcove so it can be seen through all of these windows." I said quietly as the sky blackened before our eyes.

"Sounds perfect. Want to check out the library before settling in for the night?"

I sighed and pulled from his arms. "I'm actually kind of excited to see the library. It seems like the upstairs bedrooms line up pretty much even with these rooms down her but I don't remember seeing anything on that side of the house. Do you?"

"Now that you mention it, no I don't remember seeing anything but I wasn't exactly looking for it either." Edward said as he slid open the pocket doors separating the entrance to the parlor/living room.

I shrugged as I followed behind him as he slid open the other set of pocket doors that led to the library. "Holy hell, I won't never get you out of this room once it's filled with books." Edward said stepping aside once he had the doors pushed completely into the walls.

I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping at the absolutely most magnificent room in the entire house. It was a beautifully wood lined room with a two story 'tower' that was filled to the top with empty shelves. "Holy shit this will hold a lot of books." I mused as I turned circles in the tower part of the room. It was an identical room to the living room across the hall except the rounded portion extended up to the roof from what it looks like while the square back part that must butt up with the stairs is only as high as the rest of the rooms in the house. I stepped up onto the ladder that extended well up into the second floor area. "This is so cool, Edward. I can picture it already in my head and it's going to be so amazing. A fire in the fireplace with two big chairs sitting facing it and a soft rug underfoot that you can curl your toes in when the book gets good." I explained pointing everything out with my hands as I described in detail how I envisioned the room to look. "Maybe a piano in this area?"

I was renewed with energy when we left the empty library book so I accompanied Edward as he took a peek into the basement. It was a typical basement. A laundry room had been added some time or another along with central heating and air and a new hot water heater; it could only have been Renee's doing seeing as the dates on the units were only dated back four years. "I wonder why she had the modern amenities put in when they never visited or used the house for anything." Edward mused as we unfolded our air mattress that we were going to use the night.

"I don't know, maybe Phil will know. We can ask him when he gets here. I'm exhausted and we have so much we have to do tomorrow it's not even funny." I told him as I tugged my jeans down my legs while I tried to stifle a yawn.

Edward groaned as he hooked up the pump before plugging it into the wall to start airing up the mattress. "I know. What do you think needs to be done first? Furniture moved out of the attic or town stuff?" He asked as he kicked his tennis shoes off into the corner of the room we had picked as ours.

"I hate to say it but I think we need to get the attic stuff gone through and sorted before we go buying anything because honestly there is no telling what all is up there." I told him as I tugged my pajama shorts on. Once we had gotten into our bedroom we noticed the floor vents that looked pretty new and unused along with what looked like newer wall sockets and light switches. "I just don't know if I am strong enough to help you move some of that furniture. I remember trying to move my dresser when I was younger and it was heavy as all get out. Charlie said it was because it was an antique and solidly built." I explained as I tugged on my tank top.

Edward nodded. "I remember having some furniture like that too and that stuff is heavy. Hopefully Emmett or Jasper will show up tomorrow to lend me a hand with most of it. If not we can always try to hire some guys from town."

I sighed as I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't really care, right now I just want to go to sleep and not wake up until I have to tomorrow." I told him as I tugged our blankets from one of our suitcases. I couldn't fathom doing all of this without some form of comfort from home so I had packed our sheets, pillows, and comforter from our bed.

We made quick work of the bed before falling onto the mattress in pure exhaustion. I snuggled against Edward's chest as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "I love you." I said sleepily.

He chuckled. "I love you too, baby. Sleep." He said but it fell on deaf ears as I was already headed firmly to dreamland.

A loud knock jerked me from my pleasant dreams causing me to sit straight up on the mattress which caused Edward to roll slightly into me. "Edward!" I hissed shaking his shoulder roughly to wake him up as the loud pounding came again.

"What's wrong?" He asked sleepily as he sat up on the mattress.

I just looked at him with wide eyes as the sound echoed. "It's dark outside and somebody is pounding on our front door!" I whisper shouted as I pointed to the door that was closed.

His eyes went wide with fear as he leapt from the bed going to the window that looked out over the front yard and driveway. "I can't see who it is because they are on the porch but I see two vehicles parked behind our rental in the driveway." Edward explained as he headed for the closed bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" I asked leaping from the bed to follow after him. I be damned if I was going to stay in this large empty house by myself.

He just looked at me incredulously. "I'm going to see who it is." He said as he headed down the stairs with me half a step behind him then entire way.

"Who is it?" Edward asked through the thick wooden door before unlocking it.


	33. Now 17

**Chapter 33**

**Now**

"Was all of that furniture still in usable condition after twenty plus years of being stored in a stuffy attic?" Lucy asked once I finished the story for today.

I shook my head sending my ponytail swishing around my head. "Not all of it but most of it was. All of the wood furniture was in near perfect condition when we pulled it from that room. I don't remember exactly how many pieces we donated but we found a local church that helped people getting up on their feet so we gave it to them. They had someone that would reupholster them so they could be put to use again." I explained even though we hadn't got to that portion of the story yet.

"Who was at the door?" Justin asked.

I smirked at him. "I guess you will have to stay awake next time to find out now won't you?"

He just smiled at me as he shrugged his shoulders. "We'll see."

I clapped my hands together just as Jaylon shoved his head under my ribs causing me to gasp. I looked at Mary Beth and just shook my head letting her know I was fine. "We are almost out of time. Any questions?"

I answered the few that was asked in a rush as the bell sounded. "If you have more questions come find me at lunch or email me!" I called out to them as they all filed out the door.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Bella, we have to go shopping for our dresses tonight! The fundraiser ball is this coming Saturday!" Alice practically screamed into the phone during my lunch break on Tuesday. It was a fundraiser to promote the school as well as rake in donations to help with the upkeep of our school that we had all been attending since starting our careers here. I wasn't too keen on going this year because I was hugely pregnant with twins.

I groaned as I leaned my head back against Edward's chest as we lay on the couch in his office. "I have my doctor's appointment this afternoon, Alice. Plus, I was going to sit out this year." I told her softly because I hadn't even told Edward that I didn't want to go.

"Why don't you want to go, baby?" Edward asked softly against my neck.

I turned around to look at him like he was crazy and motioned to my body in answer which earned me an eye roll and head shake. "No excuse, Isabella, you are beautiful." He whispered into my ear.

I tuned him out to pay attention to what Alice was saying. "What did you say, Alice?"

"I was just saying that you have to go, Bella. I know this amazing dress shop downtown that specializes in formal maternity gowns. Please. Please. Please." She begged and I could picture her bouncing on the heels of her feet while doing so.

"Fine, Alice. I'm not going to deal with your pouting along with Edward's. We will go dress shopping after our doctor's appointment while the guys go get new Tuxes." I told her as I smirked at Edward over my shoulder because I knew he hated getting fitted for a tux as much as I hated trying on multiple dresses.

"Great! Text me when you two are done with your appointment and we will meet you there and trade partners."

"Sounds good, Alice. I'll talk to you then." I told her as tapped 'END' on my phone disconnecting the phone call. "Looks like we are going to the fundraiser after all." I told Edward as I turned sideways between his legs so that my back rested against the back of the couch.

He smiled as he caressed my rounded stomach reverently. "That's good. You look amazing in normal every day clothing so I can only imagine what you will look like all dolled up for a formal affair. Plus, it's all for a good cause remember. That's what you told me the first several times we had to go to one of these things."

I laughed because there several functions throughout the year for funding for the school and all usually attended as a family. We all attended because Edward, Jasper, and myself all worked there while Arianna, Lizzy, Abby, and Jacqui all attended the school. The grandparents attended for support.

After the doctors' appointment and subsequent shopping Tuesday night was a rough one for me and the boys. "Baby, you okay?" Edward asked as he walked in the library rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked almost yummy enough to eat but I was entirely too uncomfortable to even remotely be in the mood for anything romance or sex related at the moment. He was wearing nothing but a thin pair of pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips and nothing else.

"I'm fine, babe. The boys are really active tonight so I can't really get comfortable enough to sleep." I told him as I laid down the book I had been reading patting the chair beside me.

"Why didn't you wake me?" He asked grumpily as he curled around me sleepily nuzzling my neck as he wrapped his arm over my stomach rubbing our active boys.

I ran my fingers through his hair soothingly. "There's nothing you can do, handsome. Plus, there is no sense in both of us being sleep deprived. You can make it up to me when they get here." I teased him.

"That's a deal, baby. You know there is one way to get them to calm down so you can get some sleep." He said pressing his hips against my leg letting me know his suggestion without a doubt in the world.

I groaned as he ran his hand up along the length of my spine applying pressure in just the right spaces. "Edward…"I moaned as I let my head fall forward.

"If you don't feel up to it, baby, we will just go lay in bed and I will have a chat with our sons before giving you a massage and cuddling with you as we fall back asleep." He said sweetly as his hand caressed my shoulder before trailing down my arm lightly sending little shocks of pleasure rippling throughout my entire being.

"Keep doing that and you may just talk me into it." I moaned out as he trailed his fingers softly from my wrist to my elbow before venturing down my chest towards my sensitive breasts. I let out a loud wanton moan when his fingertip trailed over my already pebbled nipple.

He chuckled against the back of my neck as he placed gentle kisses there and onto my shoulder that was exposed by the tiny strap of my tank top. "How about now?" He whispered against the lobe of my ear before nipping it lightly.

"Take me to bed. Now." I told him as I half turned in his arms.

"My pleasure, my love." Edward said as he stood from the chair pulling me up with him.

I did indeed sleep well after our gentle lovemaking that seemed to make our sons settle down for the rest of the night also.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Baby, come on. Rise and shine." I heard Edward whispering into my ear pulling me from my wonderful dreams that happened to be reliving our late night rendezvous.

I moaned in disagreement as I rolled onto my back blinking my eyes open to the sun filtering through the curtains. "What time is it?" I asked groggily as I pushed myself into a sitting position on the bed.

"A little after six and I have a warm bath ready and waiting for you." Edward said leaning forward to kiss me gently on the lips as his hands caressed my naked stomach. "You look astonishing laying in our bed all sleep rumpled, sated, and gloriously naked." He growled against my cheek.

"Hah!" I scoffed at him as I pulled the sheet up over my nakedness. "Are you going to join me in the bath?"

He smiled broadly. "If you want me to I will, but we can't get carried away." He said with a raised eyebrow in my direction.

I rubbed my thighs together. "Maybe it's better if you don't join me this morning since we have to be at school in a little over an hour." I told him with my own raised eyebrow.

He threw his head back in laughter as I slipped my legs off the edge of the bed. "I will make us some breakfast then. Enjoy your bath, baby." He said extending his hands for mine so he could pull me from the bed.

I dropped the sheet as soon as he pulled me from the bed. "Oh, I will!" I tossed over my shoulder as I headed for the bathroom with as much grace as my six month pregnant self could muster.

After a relaxing soak in the bathtub I dried my hair before slipping into a pair of blue leggings with a black shirt over the top before heading downstairs. "Edward?" I called out when I didn't find him in the kitchen where my plate was waiting on the island along with a glass of strawberry milk.

"Right here, baby." He said walking into the room with our bags in his hands. "Do you need anything else for school today?"

I shook my head as he headed through the door leading into the garage while I scarfed down my breakfast. We walked into the school hand-in-hand right on time with smiles on our faces. "Bella! Edward!" Dr. Rollins called out from the office as we walked past.

We both turned to face the principal of the school. "Yes ma'am?" We each asked her together causing her to smile at us.

"I was just making sure that you two still needed a whole table for the fundraiser this weekend."

I looked at Edward who nodded. "Yes, ma'am. There will be ten adults along with eight children for the daycare services." I told her confidently.

She smiled and nodded. "Okay, thanks." She said before ducking back into the office.

Edward dropped me off at my classroom before darting down to his as the first warning bell rang overhead. My morning went like a normal day in the life of a high school English teacher would go.

"Hey, Mrs. Masen!" Mary-Beth said as she pranced into the room with a huge smile on her face.

I chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Good morning, Mary-Beth. What's got you so excited this morning?"

"James, Mike, Leslie, and I have a bet going about who was knocking at the door of your house." She said as she pulled the journal and recorder from her bag.

I laughed at that. "You know, it's not nice to make bets about peoples' lives."

She rolled her eyes like a typical teenager would. "I know that, but those idiots couldn't shut up about it until Leslie and I agreed to the bet. I hope I'm right."

"You will all find out in a few minutes." I told her as the rest of the students trudged through the door.

When the bell rang signaling the beginning of the period I could practically feel the anticipation in every student in the class. "Okay, so I hear a few of you guys have a bet going on about who was knocking at the door when we left off last time." I told them, smiling as I heard a few groans from some of the boys in the back of the room.

"Well?" James asked impatiently.

I laughed. "Okay okay, hold your horses. In mine and Edward's world our family consists of more people than just blood family members. That was more evident that night than any other up to that point. When we opened the door to reveal…"


	34. Convergence of People

**Chapter 34**

**Convergence of people…**

"It's me, dumbass. It's cold out here and my daughters are sleeping in the damn car!" Emmett's booming voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Edward made quick work of the locks on the door before wrenching it open quickly to reveal Emmett's pajama clad self. "Thank you." He said as he waved a 'come on' motion to the idling cars sitting in the driveway. "It's about damn time. I've been banging on this damn door for the last twenty minutes trying to get you guys awake." Emmett said as he bounded off the porch heading for the driveway where Rose, Alice, and Jasper were emerging from separate vehicles.

"Hi!" Alice said as she bounded quickly up the porch and into the house.

I chuckled at her hyperness even at this late hour. "Hi Alice, what time is it?" I asked her as I gave her a quick hug.

"It's a little after two o'clock in the morning." She said with a little girly giggle.

I shook my head at her. "What prompted you guys to come so soon? We don't have any furniture put out yet or beds or food or…" I rambled but trailed off as I realized we just had a shell of a house right now.

Alice just smiled at me. "Calm down. Jasper suggested we come down to see if you needed any help with anything before everybody bombarded on the house for the holidays. We called Emmett and Rose to let them know of our plans and they decided to come along too. We were afraid that the furniture wouldn't be any good or useable so we all brought air mattresses and our own blankets. Everything else we can get tomorrow." She said as we stepped aside to let a loaded down Emmett through the door.

"Where am I going with all of this stuff, Baby Bell?" He grunted.

I looked at Edward with wide eyes as he was still trying to wake up. "Um…the biggest room is up the stairs and second door on the right." I told him hesitantly.

He grunted and headed up the stairs slowly. "Here, Em, let me get some of that." Edward said suddenly jolting into action.

"Thanks sleepyhead." Emmett said as he handed Edward some of his load.

Edward just shook his head as they headed up the stairs. Jasper was the next in the door while Rose waved from the side of the car. "Babies asleep?" I called out to her.

She nodded and smiled back at me. "Yeah, Em's gonna get their beds set up so hopefully they won't wake up." She said quietly.

I nodded in understanding. "Okay, why don't you get back in the car? It's cold out here!" I told her as I rubbed my hands up and down my chilled arms.

She nodded before ducking quickly back into the car as I shut the front door looking at a wide eyed Jasper and Alice as they finally started taking everything in. "Pretty impressive, huh?" I asked them as I pushed them towards what was absolutely my favorite room in the entire house.

"Oh hell, I can see you spending all of your time in this room." Jasper said as he took in all the empty book shelves.

I nodded swiftly. "Yep. There is a room full of old trunks and crates in one of the attic rooms that I am hoping contains the books that used to go on these shelves." I told him as I ran my hand along one of the gleaming shelves. It must have taken the cleaning lady hours and hours to wipe down and polish all of the woodwork throughout the house because I hadn't been able to find a speck of dust yet.

"Is the original furniture up there too?" He asked looking at me wide eyed. Jasper's passion for all things old showed clearly through his bright eyes.

"I think so, we haven't pulled anything out yet. We just uncovered some of it and what is up there looks to be in pristine condition." I told him as I spotted the framed house plans that my great grandmother had apparently drawn and signed her name to.

I picked up the frame and walked over to where Jasper and Alice stood admiring the plaster work on the fireplace surround. "Take a look at this, Jazz." I said showing him the wooden framed creation.

"Holy shit, is that the original house plans?" He asked as he took the heavy frame from me.

I shrugged my shoulders because I honestly didn't know. "I don't know if they are the official plans or not but what is drawn on there matches the layout of the house besides the extra bathroom where the rear entry is. The attic and basement aren't on there though." I told him.

He nodded to let me know he heard me. "Baby, where are you?" I heard Edward call out.

"In the library." I called back to him with a smile on my face.

He walked into the room and spotted Jasper and Alice looking at the house plans in great detail. "So it starts already, huh? There's not even any books in here yet." He said tugging me to his side. I placed my hands on his bare chest, curling my fingers in the sparse hair there.

"I was just showing it off to Jazz because I knew he would appreciate the history that this place holds." I explained as I heard the front door open and close. "Em going to get the girls?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah, there beds are all set up in the largest of the three extra bedrooms up there." He said into my hair before placing a kiss there. "Jasper, you and Alice can have the pick of the remaining two bedrooms on the second floor for now. We are hoping to clear out the three bedrooms on the third floor tomorrow and if you want one of them you are more than welcome." Edward said wrapping his arms around me rocking us side to side. I stifled a yawn in his chest hairs just as I heard the front door open and close again.

Jasper nodded as he sat the heavy frame back on the floor propping it carefully against the wall with a wistful look on his face. "Yeah, we better hit the sack if we have as much to do tomorrow as Bella hinted at." He said with a wink as he wrapped an arm around Alice's shoulders guiding her out of the library. "Want to go pick out a room while I get our stuff?" I heard him ask her quietly.

She giggled and I heard footsteps running up the staircase just before I heard the front door click open and shut again.

I groaned laying my head against Edward's chest sleepily. "This house is going to be so loud when everybody gets here."

Edward just laughed in agreement. "I'm glad they surprised us."

"Me too." I told him just as I heard the door click open and shut again.

"Goodnight guys." Jasper poked his head around the doorframe so he could see us.

I waved at him sleepily but didn't say anything. "Goodnight, brother. See you in the morning." Edward said as he suddenly bent down scooping me up into his arms.

"Edward, I can walk." I mumbled sleepily.

He chuckled as he walked out of the room. "I don't want to test that but do you think you can wake up enough to lock the front door back?" He asked as he stepped up to the front door. I nodded as I reached out twisting all the locks into place before flipping the switch that killed the entry way lights leaving only the staircase and upstairs lit up. "Good girl, let's get you back into bed."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*~*

"Bella this house is fantastic!" Rose said as we placed the last of the freshly washed towels into the upstairs linen closet.

I smiled at her as I closed the linen closet door now that it was fully stocked with sheets, towels, blankets, pillows, and anything else we could think of to stuff in there. "It is pretty amazing, huh?" I asked looking around at the open doors to all the bedrooms that now had new mattress sets on the old bed frames along with dressers and a trunk at the foot of each bed that contained numerous photo albums and pictures that still needed to be gone through. It had taken us all day even though we had started a little after seven o'clock when Alice had tempted us up out of bed with coffee and donuts. It was now nearing midnight and we were all exhausted but determined to get it finished tonight.

She nodded. "You ready to start on your room?" She asked as we walked down the stairs arm in arm.

The smile that spread across my face gave my excitement away because I had been pushing that room to the back of my mind all day while we got the rest of the house put together so that we could all actually live in it and use it.

While the guys had been busy moving all of the furniture from the attic down the stairs to the appropriate rooms all day us ladies had make the trek into town to do all the shopping. Alice had agreed to tackle the kitchen and dining room areas while Rose and I tackled linens before meeting back up to get appliances, electronics, and furniture. The men were now collapsed on the new couches watching the new TV that we had purchased this morning while in town. We mixed in the old furniture with new but the old couches just weren't practical for the living room when there was going to be 15 people converging in there within the next few days. I had begrudgingly told the guys to just stack the wooden crates of books in the library and I would get to it after everything else was finished. Now was that time and I was absolutely exhausted but the idea of looking through old books that my great grandparents had once owned made me excited all the same. "Yes and no." I told Rose as we walked into the room only to stop dead in our tracks a few feet into the room. "What…?" I asked stunned silly at what laid before me.

The room was set up exactly as I had described eagerly for Edward just yesterday and the shelves were lined with books upon books as far as my eyes could see. "Surprise, baby." Edward said from behind me.

I whirled around to face him with tears in my eyes. "You?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Us." He said motioning to Emmett and Jasper who stood slightly behind him. "How you pictured it?" He asked taking a few steps towards me.

I lunged into his arms as the tears spilled from my eyes. "Perfect." I whispered into his shoulder. "Thank you guys so much." I sobbed out as all of my emotions finally got to me.

Edward picked me up, my feet barely coming off the floor, as he walked over to one of the chairs taking a seat and pulling me onto his lap holding me securely in his arms. I faintly heard the pocket doors sliding shut giving us the privacy we obviously needed. "Hey, what's got you so upset?" Edward asked once my sobs died down.

I shrugged as I nuzzled his throat seeking solace. "I'm not sure. I think it may just be what all this represents. It's my heritage, Edward. A heritage that I knew nothing about until a few months ago."

"It's what your mom wanted, Bella. She wanted you to have this home because it represented all of that. You told me that that's what she said she wanted in her letter."

"I know but-"

"No. No buts, Isabella. She gave this to you on her death bed because it is rightfully yours. She chose not to raise her second family here for some unknown reason but maybe we can bring life back into this house for the first time in decades."

I sighed because I knew he was right. "You have already sacrificed so much for me, I couldn't ask you to sacrifice yourself again just so we can raise a family in this house. It's still on the other side of the states from both of our parents." I argued feebly.

He tipped my head back so he could look me in the eye. "Do you honestly think that if we choose to settle in this house after your graduation that the entire clan won't eventually follow?"

I shrugged. "They haven't yet."

"That's because we were all in college with no set roots. You are still in college so not much has changed in that area. Once we settle down and start to plant our roots I can almost guarantee you that the rest of them will do the same in the general area around us."

"You think so? Even Charlie? Who has lived in Forks his entire life?" I asked softly.

"He loves you more than he loves Forks, Bella. We have to do what is good for our future and what is good for us not what is good for everybody else."

I sighed against his chest. "Yes, oh wise one." I grumbled just as my tummy grumbled.

"Getting emotional making you hungry?" He asked as he stood up with me in his arms slowly letting my legs touch the floor.

I shook my head as I slapped his chest. "No, smart ass. Working my ass off today has made me hungry. You going to feed me?" I asked as I sauntered towards the panel pocket doors.

"I can whip something up for you all right." He said just as I laid my hands on the doors.

"Edward a la mode?" I asked pulling my hands back and spinning to face him. Edward was already tugging his shirt off over his head.

"If that's what you want, baby, who am I to deny you your heart's desire?" He asked as he flicked the button of his jeans open. I quickly turned around flipping the lock on the pocket door giving us a small sense of privacy.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"These are amazing, sweetheart." Esme said as we sat on the floor of the bedroom she had chosen for her and Carlisle going through the contents of the trunk that sat at the foot of their bed.

I nodded as I gently looked through all of the loose photos. "I just wish I knew who was who in these pictures." I told her as I picked up one of the photo albums that looked to be at least thirty or forty years old.

I flipped it open and came face to face with myself or at least what I thought was myself. "Whoa." I told Esme showing her the album.

"That must be your mom when she was just a baby." Esme said quietly.

I nodded. "I looked just like her." I whisper as the forbidden tears leaked out of my eyes. "I never knew."

Esme slid the album off of my lap as she pulled me into her embrace. "You couldn't have known, Bella, and that is in no way your fault." She said as she stroked my back soothingly.

I'm not sure how long we sat there with her just holding me like a mother should hold a daughter when they are upset. "So…your's and Edward's first year anniversary is coming up in a few days. Have you gotten him anything?" She asked effectively taking my mind off of the photographs still layed out on the floor in front of us.

I pulled out of her arms as my eyes lit up in excitement. "I did but I just hope he likes it. I'm so excited for him to have it."

"Well, what is it?" She asked eagerly.

I smiled as I clasped her hands in mine. "You know those journals that his father wrote in?"

She nodded as tears sprung to her eyes. "I won't ever forget those journals. They kept me sane after his death and were Edward's lullabies for years." She said hoarsely.

"I got Edward some." I told her quietly.

She gasped and squeezed my hands tightly. "Oh Bella…" She said as tears tripped down her cheeks.

I smiled as I let go of her hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I want him to write for his future kids. Our kids."

Esme nodded in understanding. "I'm sure Edward will love that, he's so much like his father that it's not even funny. I see Edward senior in so many of his mannerisms every single day."

I giggled. "If you felt a fraction of what I feel for Edward I can see how you were swept off your feet so quickly." I told her as my cheeks heated.

She laughed so hard that she doubled over. "Oh, I know this may sound weird coming from me but if Edward has a fraction of his father's charisma and stamina I can understand why you stuck around after that first night." She said winking at me.

I couldn't do anything but blush like crazy and nod in agreement.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"You know what today is?" Edward asked a few days later as we lay side by side on the huge cushion ottoman like chaise in the rounded part of the library. While our parents had arrived a few days ago we anticipated Phil, Tarah, and Sarah's arrivals in about five or six days as the girls were still in school.

I laid the old book open across my chest as I rolled my head to look at him. "Yes, do you?" I asked with a twinkle in my eye.

He smiled and nodded. "I do, indeed." He said tugging a small flat box from his jeans pocket and handing it to me. "Happy anniversary, baby." He whispered so softly I almost thought I made it up.

"What's this?" I asked as I rattled the box a little and was satisfied when I heard a rattle.

He just smirked at me as he shrugged his shoulders. "Open it and find out."

I rolled my eyes at him and pulled the tiny top off of the box. I squashed my eyebrows together in confusion at the little skeleton key laying on a bed of cotton. "A key?" I asked confused.

He laughed as he got up walking over to one of the bookshelves pulling a thin book off and bringing it back with him. "I know that we aren't married legally but in my heart it really doesn't matter. First year anniversary gifts are traditionally paper so I wrote you a letter and you have the key to open it." He said handing me the beautiful leather journal with a leather binding wrapping around it both ways with a little lock holding it all together.

"This is beautiful, Edward." I said laying the journal down on the cushion as I stood up. "It seems like we are very similar indeed, Mr. Masen." I told him as I whirled around heading for the ladder that reached the upper level book shelves. I slid it around until it was on the right shelf that I needed.

"You hid my present up that high?" He asks me incredulously as he watches me intently.

I just smile and nod as I start my climb up the ladder. Once I had the journal in my arms I descended the ladder and quickly walked back over to the cushion where Edward was propped up on his elbow watching me. "I love you, you know that?" He whispers as I slide back onto the cushion beside him with our journals resting between us.

I nodded as tears came unbidden to my eyes. "I do because I love you too. I wrote on the first few pages of your journal also. I tried to match the one's your dad used to write in so that maybe you could start journaling for our future kids like you dad did for you." I explained as he ran his fingers over the new yet familiar leather bound journal.

"Thank you, my love. I love it." He said sweetly as he reached over cupping my face gently in his hands. "I love you more though." He planted a gentle and sweet kiss on my lips before pulling back with a groan. "The last year has been absolutely amazing and look forward to so many more with you, Isabella. Happy Anniversary, baby."

I sobbed before sealing my lips against his. "Happy Anniversary, babe." I whispered against his lips when we broke for air. "I want to make love in front of the crackling fire." I whispered as I pushed him flat on the large cushion crawling over his hips until I was straddling him.

"Now?" He whispered as his hands gripped my hips.

I nodded as I leaned over him. "Yes. Now." I told him as I rotated my hips against his. I knew that the house was going to be empty until the sun started going down because the entire family had given us the privacy of the house for our anniversary.

"Okay." He said as he reared up suddenly causing me to squeal.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Hello?" I said into my cell phone as I stuffed it between my shoulder and ear so that I could finish giving Jacqui a bath in the deep kitchen sink. I dribbled water over her head causing her to giggle and slap at the little bit of water in the antique farmhouse cast iron sink.

Rosalie was giving Lizzy a bath upstairs while Esme was giving Abby a bath in the bathroom at the back of the house and I had volunteered to give Jacqui one to spend some quality time with the chubby little baby that showed no signs of her terrible entrance into the world. This was the easiest and quickest way to get all the girls in the bed at the same time. "Bella, its Phil."

"Hi Phil, aren't you guys supposed to be coming to the house today?" I asked him curiously as I squirted some baby shampoo onto Jacqui's blonde curls.

He chuckled. "That's what I was calling about. We are at the car rental place just outside the airport and apparently they don't have any cars left to rent out." He said quietly.

"Oh, that's okay. I will send one of the guys to come get you and the girls." I told him with a smile. They were really here. This was really happening, Christmas with all my closest friends and family.

"Are you sure? We can catch a cab or something, Bella. We don't want to inconvenience anyone." Phil said quickly.

I shook my head even though he couldn't see me. "It's no problem, Phil. We have plenty of vehicles here that if you or the girls need to get away or make a trip to town that you can use. I don't think our driveway can hold any more cars!" I said playfully which caused Jacqui to squeal in laughter.

"Okay if you are sure. We will be waiting right inside the arrival's doors."

"Okay, I will grab one of the goons and send them your way."

I quickly rinsed Jacqui off before wrapping her up in a towel before sitting her on the old kitchen table that was the center of the kitchen just like Edward had suggested. "You sure are a pretty girl, huh?" I asked Jacqui as I quickly dried her off before laying her down on the towel so that I could put her diaper and pajama's on.

She cooed and babbled in her baby talk while I got her dressed. Once she was dry and dressed I walked into step through to the back door where Edward, Carlisle, Charlie, Jasper, and Emmett were all chopping up a dead tree out of the back yard and stacking it on the porch for firewood for the fire places. "Hey lumberjacks, I need a favor!" I called out to them as Jacqui waved at her daddy when she spotted him.

Edward let the axe he was swinging cleanly split the piece of wood he had propped up on the stump. "What's the favor, baby?" He asked as he dropped the axe and picked up the two similarly sized pieces of firewood.

"I need someone to go get Phil and the twins from the airport. Apparently the car rental place is out of cars to rent." I said rolling my eyes at the irony of the situation.

Edward laughed. "That's funny." He said as he rubbed his cold nose against my cheek causing me to shove him away laughing.

"You're cold. One of you guys please go get him." I asked him seriously.

"Okay, baby. Get this precious angel in out of the cold." He said rubbing his hand playfully over Jacqui's curls causing her to squeal and shake her head playfully.

"What about this precious angel?" I teased motioning up and down my body.

He winked at me. "I can keep you warm, vixen. Go." He said turning me around before playfully slapping me on the butt.


	35. Now 18

**Chapter 35**

**Now**

"Why would your mother modernize the house if she had no intentions of living in it?" Mike asked.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. All Phil said was that she wanted the possibility of visiting and everything being usable if that time ever arose." I explained pointing to Victoria who had her hand raised.

"Has your house ever been that full since that Christmas?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Not overnight, no. Simply because that is the only time Phil, Tarah, and Sarah ever visited us or the house. While we have added several kids to the family over the years everybody has their own homes within an hour drive from our house."

"You make me believe that family doesn't only have to be blood family." Justin commented from the back of the room. Most folks didn't know but Justin was a foster kid who had been bounced from home to home until he landed in the group home he's currently living in. His parent's life insurance had paid for his tuition in full when they had died about eight years ago. He had confessed this when I had questioned him during his sophomore year about why his essay paper hadn't been turned in. He asked me to promise not to tell anyone about his living situation and to this very day I hadn't reneged on that promise.

I smiled at him. "I have learned the hard way throughout life that the people without shared blood make some of the best family members you could ask for because they stand beside you because they want to not because they are bound by blood bonds." I explained as eloquently as I could manage. "That is one of the reasons that I forgave Jasper so quickly after him cheating on me with Alice. He had been a major part of my life for over half of my life and had stood beside me no matter what happened or what mood I happened to be in on a particular day. He's family. Well, now he's bound by blood but he was family long before Edward and I got together or married. The same goes for Rose and Emmett, too."

He nodded in understanding just as the bell rang dismissing them for the day.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

I groaned in exasperation as Alice stood in front of me with a hairclip that had flowers on it. "I am not thirteen years old and I am NOT wearing flowers of any kind in my hair!" I told her stomping my foot to sink my irritation home.

We were upstairs in mine and Edward's bedroom getting ready for the fundraiser that started in just over an hour. "Bella, it goes with you dress." She said shoving the clip towards me.

I look towards my dress that hung on the back of the bedroom door. It was floor length chiffon gown that gathered into a large keyhole opening between my breasts before winding around my neck. The straps and around the opening was jeweled but other than those jewels the entire dress was sky blue chiffon with no extra bling on it. "How exactly does that flower go with my simple yet beautiful dress? It has NO flowers anywhere on it!" I pointed out.

Ever my savor, Rose walked in from the bathroom and shook her head at Alice. "No, Alice. That's going to clash. Her hair will look better in simple curls tossed either down her back or over her shoulder." She said before walking to the closet door where her dress hung. It was a blood red mermaid style dress that accentuated her model like form perfectly.

"Her is me and I am standing right here! I am also perfectly capable of fixing my own hair. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" I said loudly as I stomped my way to the bathroom where the curling iron and styling products were laid out and waiting to be put to use. I shut and locked the bathroom door as I sat down on my vanity stool going about curling my hair in long loose curls that I would leave trailing down my back because I hated them draped over my shoulder. Once I was finished curling all my long chocolate brown locks a soft tap that I instantly recognized tapped on the bathroom door.

"Go away." I told Edward while I pulled a few of my strands to the back of my head before twisting them and pinning them in place with bobby pins.

I heard his sigh as I sprayed a healthy dose of hairspray over the intricate twists I had managed at the back of my head. "Baby, please let me in. I need to shave unless you want me scruffy." He said knowing that would win me over.

I walked to the door switching the lock before pulling it open to reveal my handsome husband in tuxedo pants, under shirt, and nothing else. "Hello, handsome." I told him as he walked in the partially opened bathroom door. Before I could get the door shut again my dress was shoved through the opening along with a pair of silver ballet flats I was wearing tonight. I grabbed my dress and shoes before shutting the door again, engaging the lock.

"Having a few disagreements with the ladies?" Edward asked as he lathered his face with shaving cream.

I nodded. "Yeah, I wish Esme and Sue were here to tame them down some." I told him as I hopped up on the counter space between our two sinks so I could shave him. "Let me do that." I grabbed the razor as he engaged the plunger filling the sink with warm water.

"Ma and Sue are downstairs now, baby. Why do you think you've been left alone to fix your own hair and breathe. Rose and Alice were kindly reminded that you are not helpless and do a bang up job of dressing yourself appropriately every day of the week." Edward said as I began the steady rhythym of shaving the fine layer of hair off of his cheeks.

I smiled as I ran the razor down his cheek. "Good. What do you think of my hair? Too simple?" I asked knowing he couldn't really talk but could still nod without getting a slice of his cheek cut off.

He shook his head as I rinsed the razor out. "You look beautiful, baby, like always."

I blinked rapidly to clear my vision and to keep from smearing my make-up. "Thanks, babe."

Edward and I descended the stairs together while the rest of our family waited patiently in the living room. "Edward, do we have to stay long tonight?" I asked him as we landed on the landing between the second floor and the main floor.

He smiled down at me as he patted my hand that was hooked through his elbow. "No, baby, we don't have to stay long. Let's at least stay through the silent auction and dinner that we've already paid for."

"Can I have at least one slow dance with my sexy husband in his penguin suit before we come home and strip out of these clothes?" I teased him as we began our descent down into the main living area.

I smiled as Esme rushed towards me with a huge smile and open arms. "Oh, my sweet girl, you look absolutely radiant!" She said as she pulled me into her arms. From what little I saw she was wearing a beautiful black dress with a lace overlay giving it a bit of decoration.

"I hope so but I feel like a bloated water balloon." I whispered into her shoulder as she pulled back rubbing my stomach gently.

"Nonsense, sweet girl, you look stunning and have that amazing pregnancy glow." She said as she released me pulling Edward in for a gentle hug. "Hi, son."

"Hi, Ma. You look amazing tonight."

We all piled into the limousines that pulled up out front with all the flourish that ten adults and eight children could manage. I was eternally grateful that Edward and I didn't have to visit the childcare area set up because Anna and little Brice were screaming bloody murder before they had even taken two steps towards it. "I am so glad that's not us." I told Edward as we took a left towards the ballroom that the school had acquired for the fundraiser.

"We will be in that group at next year's functions." Edward whispered quietly into my hair.

I stopped and pulled back from him. "Our children will never act like that, Edward Anthony." I told him firmly.

He smirked at me. "Baby, I think every child throws tantrums like that at some point or another."

I shook my head. "If our boys ever scream and throw tantrums like that then you are never getting laid again. Understood?" I asked as I whirled on my feet heading for the ballroom doors.

I walked directly to the bar ordering a glass of orange juice since alcohol was off the menu. "Orange juice, please." I told the bartender.

"Coming right up." She said with a soft smile.

"Why does my son look absolutely terrified?" Esme asked as she walked up to the bar, sidling up beside me.

I laughed. "Because I threatened him with absolutely no sex if our kids ever threw a tantrum like Brice and Anna just did." I told her as I accepted my orange juice in a champagne flute.

Esme laughed too. "You know it's going to happen, don't you? And you will, God forgive me for saying this, but screw my sons brains out afterwards. Because I can almost guarantee you that the first time it happens will be the very first time you leave them for a little alone time." She said as she accepted her own glass of champagne before wrapping an arm around my shoulder guiding me in the direction of our husbands who seemed deeply involved in a conversation with several other men.

After chatting and mingling for a bit, Edward and I perused the silent auction tables that ranged from spa dates to manicures to trips to Paris. Edward bid on a manicure for me while I bid on a beer tasting for him. Once dinner was ate, we danced a few slow songs before making our leave.

"Did you have fun tonight, baby?" Edward asked as we rode in the backseat of the limo that was taking us home.

I nodded sleepily against his shoulder. "Yes but now I'm so exhausted I don't think I can trudge up the stairs to our bed."

"I will make sure you three make it up to our bed, baby. Why don't you catch a few z's until we get home?"

I nodded as I felt sleep take over.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"You look radiant this morning, my love." Edward said as he looked up from his cereal bowl as I walked into the kitchen.

I smirked at him. "I will have to take your word for that, babe." I told him as I smoothed down my hot pink shirt down over my stomach. I was actually wearing a pair of my maternity skinny jeans so all of my pregnancy induced curves were on display.

He just smirked at me as he poured the milk over my cocoa puffs that were already poured in the bowl waiting on me. "Then you do that because I wouldn't lie to you." He said kissing me on the side of the head before standing up taking his bowl to the sink.

"Ha! You would be the first one to lie to me and we both know it." I told him as I shoveled a large spoonful of the yummy cereal into my mouth.

He nodded as he rinsed his bowl out. "True but it would be for the better good. I love you, Isabella." He said as he headed into the garage.

"Lookin' good, Mrs. Masen!" Victoria said as she and James walked into the classroom later that morning.

I blushed as I ducked my head in embarrassment. "You guys all take a seat so we can get on with the story." I told everybody as the bell rang overhead.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you, Mrs. Masen." Victoria said softly.

I shook my head. "It's okay, Victoria. Where did we leave off last week?"

"Phil, Tarah, and Sarah had called needing a ride from the airport." She supplied softly.

I nodded. "That Christmas was one for the memory books."


	36. Memories, old and new

**Chapter 36**

**Memories, old and new**

"B! Eddie! Wake up!" Lizzy screamed through our bedroom door dragging me from the amazing nights sleep I had been having.

I groaned as I rolled over into Edward's arms. "Make her go away." I mumbled into his chest without ever opening my eyes.

Edward just chuckled. "That's not gonna happen and you know it, baby. It's Christmas morning." He said huskily in his sleepy voice.

"Mmmhmm." I mumbled without fully waking up.

A knock on our bedroom door dragged from the sleep that was just within my grasp once again. "Hot chocolate in ten minutes!" Esme sing songed just as Lizzy squealed just outside our door.

"Did she just tease us with her hot chocolate?" I mumbled sleepily against Edward's bare warm chest.

"Mmhmm. Is it enough?" Edward asked quietly.

I groaned as I tightened my grip on him snuggling in a little bit closer just as we heard feet pounding on the floor outside our bedroom door. "Yes." I said blinking rapidly to wake myself up. "That and the sound of all those feet racing down the stairs to steal our hot chocolate is enough to drag me out of this bed." I told him as I sat up slowly in the bed gripping the sheet to my naked chest.

"The sight of you all sleep rumpled is enough to make me want to keep you in this bed." He said as he softly trailed his fingers down my back causing me to shiver in reaction.

"Hot chocolate." I turned to look at Edward with a piercing stare. "Esme's crock pot hot chocolate." I reiterated.

Edward quickly tossed the blankets off of him as he slipped his pajama bottoms on sans boxer briefs. "Come on. Get dressed before everybody drinks it all." He said as he tugged his wife beater over his head while I just sat smiling at him because I knew that Esme had several crock-pots going downstairs.

"I'm coming, hold your horses." I smirked at him as I tossed the sheet aside exposing my naked chest to him which caused him to stop in his tracks and just watch me with a smoldering look. "Can you hand me my bra that you flung on top of the post?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow as I slipped clean panties and my pajama bottoms on.

He just smirked as he reached up snagging my favorite bra off the top of the end post of our bed. "Here, baby. You weren't complaining last night when I flung it up there." He said as he held the aforementioned article of clothing by the strap towards me.

I scowled at him as I snagged my bra from his fingers putting it on. "Hell no I wasn't complaining, I could barely form a coherent thought last night."

He smiled broadly as he fist pumped in the air. "I know, it was amazing. I'm glad you've regained your ability to form a coherent thought." He said slapping me on the ass as I tugged on my tank-top from last night.

"Hey!" I yelped as my ass stung from his smack.

He just laughed as he opened the bedroom door. "Come on woman, hot chocolate and presents await us downstairs." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"What's the big deal about this hot chocolate that everyone is beating down the doors about?" Tarah asked as she and Sarah walked side by side down from the third floor.

I just shook my head as Edward stopped dead in his tracks. "Don't talk about Ma's hot chocolate like that!" He said shocked that anybody could not understand about this hot chocolate.

"Sorry, Eddie!" Tarah said playfully while Edward growled in her direction. "Morning, Bella!" She called around Edward and the open doorway that I was now standing in.

"Morning, girls. Let me tell you a little story about this hot chocolate that you are going to fall in love with." I told them as I stepped around Edward and towards them.

Sarah smiled at me. She was the shy one of the two girls. Fifteen years old and absolutely gorgeous. They were identical twins and the only way I could tell them apart was the blue streak in Tarah's hair and the pink streak in Sarah's. "Morning, Bella." She said softly.

"Morning, Sarah. Did you sleep well?" I asked her as the three of us started down the stairs with Edward following slowly behind us.

She nodded. "What's the story about this worthy hot chocolate?" She asked curiously. This had been a common thing since they had gotten here and gotten used to all of us. They usually asked for a story when we mentioned a tradition or something from our past.

I heard Edward chuckled behind me as I smiled broadly. "Well, you see the history of this hot chocolate goes back for generations. It all started…" I told them the story that Esme had told me the first time I had sat in her kitchen a shaking drenched scarecrow after I had been trick or treating with Rose, Edward, and Jasper for almost two hours in the drizzling rain. Her great-grandmother had apparently started making for her grandmother when she was just a little girl who had been playing out in the snow and caught a cold. She wouldn't eat or drink anything so Esmerelda had made Esmerie some hot chocolate as a last ditch effort.

"That's a sweet story." Sarah said as we walked into the kitchen where everyone stood around with coffee cups in their hands while the three little girls sat around the floor with sippy cups and bottles filled with the brown liquid ambrosia.

"Here sweetheart." Esme said when she spotted me. I quickly took the coffee cup and lifted it to my nose inhaling the sweet smell.

"Where's mine, Ma? Am I chopped liver now?" Edward asked as he walked in the room pouting.

Everyone just laughed at him as Esme handed him a large coffee cup topped with whip cream. He took the cup and closed his eyes as he inhaled the aroma coming from the cup. "Merry Christmas, baby." Esme said as she patted him on the cheek cutely.

"Thanks, Ma. Merry Christmas to you too." Edward said as he kissed her on the cheek like the sweet man he was. "Love you, Ma."

"Love you too, son." She said as she patted his cheek again. She turned to address everybody else. "Who's ready for presents?" She asked clapping her hands together eagerly.

Going through all the old photo's the other day with Esme I came up with the perfect Christmas present for Tarah, Sarah, and Phil. A photo album full of pictures of our mother as a baby and a child all the way up until the last photo of her with my father and I when I was just a few days old. I was eager to see their reaction to all the pictures in the album. The album wasn't the original photo's but copies that I had made so that the originals could stay here in her childhood home and maybe one day I could show it to my children to help explain the history of this house and our heritage.

"Can I go first, daddy?" Lizzy asked as he sat between her and Abby on the floor with Jacqui in his lap while Rose helped Esme sort out the gifts for everybody.

Emmett poked her in the side causing her to laugh. "I don't know, Lizzy. What's the true meaning of Christmas?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow while Rose just smiled as she handed me a square box.

Lizzy raised her eyebrow to match Emmett's which caused us all to chuckle at her antics. I doubled over in laughter as she tapped her finger on her chin in concentration. "Oh God, Rosie what have you done to that child?" I asked between my guffaws of laughter.

Rose just shrugged her shoulders as she sat yet another box in front of me. "I haven't done anything to that precious child of mine. Just listen." She said winking at me before turning to nod at Lizzy.

"Mama said the true meaning of Christmas is to be with the ones you love not what they get you. If dat's true, daddy, why do you ask me what momma got you?" She asked him with wide eyes as Rose doubled over in giggles while Esme scowled at Emmett and Charlie high-fived Lizzy from his spot on the couch behind her.

"Elizabeth Nichole, don't you know it's not nice to throw your daddy under the bus like that?" Emmett said as he ruffled her hair playfully.

She scrambled into Charlie's arms where she cocked her little head to the side in obvious curiousness. "Daddy you too big for me to throw you andywhere."

Emmett just shook his head in resignation. "I know, baby, I guess you can go first but only one present, okay?" He told her as he patted the floor beside him where her presents were stacked. All of us adults had sat down the other day and made out the Christmas dinner list along with how we were going to handle such a large group when it came time to open presents. We had decided to go around and let everybody open one at a time so that we could all see what they got.

"Yay." Lizzy said cheerfully as Rosalie sat down behind her own pile of presents. "Now?" She asked looking over to Rose with wide anxious eyes.

"Go for it." Rose said with a smile.

It took us over an hour to open all the presents until there was only one left. "Whose is that?" Tarah asked curiously as she stacked her presents into a neat pile separate from the boxes and wrapping paper that Esme was gathering up in a huge trash bag.

I smiled as I pulled the present from under the tree where I had asked Rose to leave it. "This is for all of you to share." I told her as I handed her and Sarah the present gently. "I thought that you two deserved to know our mother when she was a child and young adult." I explained as the girls ripped the paper off to reveal a beautiful box I had found up town while copying all the pictures.

"Really?" Sarah asked with tears in her eyes as she pulled the lid off the box to reveal the picture Renee had sent me of the four of them as a family on the front of an exquisite leather photo album.

I nodded as I swiped at my cheeks. "Yes. There are pictures in there of her from when she was a baby all the way up until I was a few days old." I explained to the girls as Tarah pulled the album out gently as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Thank you, Bella, so much. You have no idea what this means to them and me." Phil said as he reached over giving my hand a squeeze.

I nodded as I took a shuddering breath. "It's no problem, Phil. I didn't know her, not as my mother, or as a person but the three of you did and you deserve to have her entire history printed out in pictures to help remember her by." I told him softly just as Sarah launched herself into my arms wrapping her arms tightly around me as she sobbed into my shoulder. Tarah went and cuddled into Phil's side as the rest of the crew got up to give us some privacy.

"It's okay, sweet girl. It's okay to miss her." I whispered into Sarah's hair as I ran my hands up and down her back trying to calm her down.

Sarah eventually quit crying and pulled back to look at me with sad eyes. "Do you miss her?" She asked quietly.

I sighed and sadly I had to shake my head. "It's hard to explain, Sarah, but it's hard to miss someone you never knew or something you never had." I told her as I cupped her face gently in my hands.

"But she's your mom too."

I shook my head again. "She is my mother biologically but emotionally and mentally Esme is my mother. She's the one that has been there for me since I was a kid. She's the one I went to when my father freaked out because my monthly cycle came and I thought I was dying. I cried on her shoulder when people were making fun of me at school because Charlie had come to my fourth grade mother daughter tea party. She's the one that helped me and Rose get ready for prom. She's the one that took care of me while my father worked to support us. I know that Renee was an amazing mother to you and your sister but she wasn't my mother." I told her gently as I stroked the tears off her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

I smiled and shook my head again. "It's not your fault, sweet girl. Nobody was at fault, it's just the way things worked out. I am glad that she was able to be an amazing mother to you and your sister. You two deserve the entire world and I am sad that you have lost your mother at such a young and important age."

Sarah nodded as she wrapped her arms around my neck once again in a tight hug.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Can you tell us a story, Bella?" Tarah asked as we sat in front of the fire in the library letting our food settle after the amazing meal that Esme had painstakingly prepared with little help from the rest of us.

I smiled, closing my book, and laying it on the small table between our two chairs. She and Sarah were curled up in the other chair looking through the photo album yet again. "Sure, any particular thing you are wanting to hear about?" I asked them quietly.

They both shrugged. "How about your sixteenth birthday?" Tarah suggested.

I just laughed because that would be a really short story. "Not really worth telling. Charlie had to work so Esme cooked me my favorite meal, chicken lasagna, and a birthday cake. After dinner, cake, and ice cream Jasper, Rose, and I watched movies until we all conked out in the living room floor." I told them with a shake of my head.

"Wow that sounds pretty boring." Tarah said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Okay, just pick something that could be interesting." Sarah suggested quietly.

I tapped my chin much in the way that Lizzy had earlier. "Let's see. How about the time that Charlie was doing laundry and found a condom in my jeans pocket. I was your age and still a virgin even though Jasper and I had been dating for a few years at that time."

"Did Charlie freak out?" Tarah asked between her giggles.

I nodded and delved into the memory as I told the story. I had walked in the front door after school, it was a Monday, and saw Charlie sitting on the stairs just inside the door with a tiny foil packet that I instantly recognized. I was fifteen years old and he was a single father having to give the birds and the bees talk to his daughter. It was an uncomfortable situation for both of us but I can look back on it and see the love and worry that he had for me at his discovery. It was then that he had begged Esme to take me to get on birth control pills just 'to be on the safe side'.

The girls and I swapped stories until we were all yawning loudly. "I think it's time to hit the sack, girls." I told them as I stood up stretching my back and groaning when it popped several times.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

I wrapped my blanket tighter around my form as I sat on the porch swing outside watching the snow fall gently all around me. "You okay, sweetheart?" Charlie asked as he stepped out onto the porch shutting the door behind him.

I nodded as I snuggled into my thick jacket and blanket. "Yeah, daddy, I'm fine. Just needed a moment to reflect before we close the house back up for who knows how long." I told him as he settled on the swing beside me tossing his arm around my shoulders tugging me into his side like he used to do when I was a child.

"What are you going to do with the house, baby? Have you decided?" He asked quietly.

I sighed because the moment I feared the most had just presented itself on a silver platter courtesy of my father. "I would love to start a family in this house and raise them here full time but I don't want to be so far from you and Esme." I whispered quietly in the cool air.

He chuckled. "Baby girl, don't you know that it's time for you to follow your dreams not worry about your old man?" He said teasingly.

"But daddy, I-" He placed his fingers over my lips halting me mid word.

He shook his head. "This is an amazing house and piece of property, Isabella. If you and Edward want to live here and raise a family here then that is what you should do. Don't you worry about me or Esme, because I am almost certain she will tell you the same thing that I am telling you. Live your life so that you have no regrets, Isabella, no regrets."

"I don't like you being all the way across the country from me when you have nobody out there to look out for you." I told him voicing my fears for the first time since that night Edward drug them from me.

He hugged me tightly. "Don't you know that I will follow you anywhere, baby girl? If Virginia is where you want to be then Virginia is where I will be too once I retire, which isn't far off."

I sniffled against his chest as I cuddled into the comfort that only my father knew how to give me. It was a father's love that I relished in and wasn't ashamed to admit it. Where Edward was a momma's boy I was 100 percent a daddy's girl, but then again I had grown up without a mother whereas Edward had grown up without a father. "Thanks, daddy. I love you."

"Oh, I love you too, sweetheart." He said gruffly as he kissed the top of my head. We sat there gently swinging in the cool breeze listening to the birds chirp and play in the trees for I don't know how long until he broke the silence that I was relishing in. "Your grandparents are probably smiling down on you right now for bringing life back into this amazing house that holds so much passion and history for your family."

"You think so? I love this house, I fell in love with it the moment we pulled into the driveway. Edward did too." I told him as I pulled back to look him in the eyes. "I wonder why Renee didn't live here when she got better." I asked curiously.

Charlie just laughed. "Unlike you, your mother was raised in this house and this small town. She couldn't wait to get out of here. Much like you and Rose with Forks. I remember when you was a teenager all you and Rose talked about was getting out of Forks and as far away from it as you could manage. You reminded me so much of your mother during those years because when I first met your mom she complained constantly about this house and how stifling it could be despite all the space." He said offering me a glimpse into his and Renee's relationship which he had always been tight lipped about growing up.

"Really? How did you two meet?" I asked quietly hoping to get a good story out of him.

He nodded and wrapped his arm tighter around me. "Well believe it or not, we met at the bus station in Richmond, Virginia."

"How old were both of you?"

"You want the whole story?" He asked quietly.

I nodded but otherwise remained silent. "Okay. I had just talked to the then chief of Police in Forks and he suggested coming to the police training academy in Richmond where they were offering some FBI training also to better help us out in the field. I was skeptical that I would ever need that kind of training back in Forks, but I was eager to please the chief above anything else because even at nineteen years old I was goal oriented and I wanted his job. Which he had told me would be mine, if I completed all of the seminars and training above average, when he retired." He paused placing a soft kiss to the top of my head again as I felt more than heard him take a steadying breath.

"I had to take the bus from my hotel room to the training facility where the seminars and training was being held at. I met your mother my second day here when she sat beside me on the bus despite their being plenty of other empty seats. She chattered the entire way to the facility, never letting me get a word in edge wise but that was okay with me because she was so pretty that I don't think I remembered how to talk." I felt him smile against my hair. "As I stood up to get off the bus she grabbed my hand and apologized for talking the entire way. I told her that it was okay because I enjoyed her nonsensical chatter more than she could ever imagine. I never even told her my name on that first day nor did I learn hers, whether from missing in all her chatter or her just forgetting to give it to me I don't know."

I chuckled as I tried to picture Charlie so enthralled with a woman he had just met that he forgot his simple manners of introductions.

"I thought about her all day while I was at that training facility and wondered if I would ever get a chance to introduce myself to her. I did. The very next morning when I strolled up to the bus stop to wait on the bus there she stood waving eagerly at me with a donut and a steaming cup of coffee. I was scheduled to be in Richmond for seventeen days to take in all the training and courses that I could but to be honest I don't remember much of the training and seminars because your mom was on my mind all the time. We met every morning at the bus stop and talked the entire way to the training facility, she voiced her dislike of her small hometown just a ways up the road and the old creepy house that she had grew up in. My first weekend there, we had two days to take in the sights or do whatever we wanted. I spent them with Renee. That is when I met her parents, your grandparents, for the first time."

I nodded to urge him to continue with the story that gave me a glimpse into why my father was the way he was. He had fallen head over heels in love so much that it nearly destroyed him when that loved walked away, I could tell that just from the passion in his voice as he relived the past.

"By the end of my seventeen days, your mom and I were madly in love and were already talking about getting married and her moving to Washington to be with me while I followed my dreams of becoming Chief of Police one day. I asked her father for her hand in marriage the day before I was scheduled to head back to Forks, he was skeptical because it had all happened so fast but he gave me his approval anyways. We were married the morning before our bus left for Forks. I brought your mom home with me that day and we moved into that house that you and I call home three weeks after being back in Forks." He said heaving a huge sigh. "Those first few years with your mom was absolutely amazing and mind blowing. You remind me so much of her sometimes and so little of her at other times. She was a free-spirit whereas you are an old-soul, like me, but it the little things that I don't know where you learned them from that remind me of her."

"Like what?" I asked running my fingers over the fringe on the edge of the blanket.

Charlie chuckled as he squeezed me tight. "How do you eat your salads?"

"With the dressing in the bottom of the bowl." I told him not knowing where this was going.

He nodded. "Your mother did the same thing. How do you start your baths? Hot or cold water first?"

"Cold." I said not finding that weird at all. I had burnt my finger when I was little testing the hot water and had since then always turned the cold water on first.

"Your mom did the same thing because she too burned her finger when she was a little girl. You eat dill pickle spears with your chocolate ice cream which I frankly find disgusting but that was Renee's favorite snack. I remember the first time you asked for a pickle after I had fixed you a bowl of chocolate ice cream, it broke my heart all over again. I loved your mom, Bella. I loved your mom with everything I had until you came along." He said his voice cracking. "Then my love split between the two of you. She took part of my soul with her when she vanished but I had the best part of both of us to look after."

"Oh daddy." I said wrapping my arms around him as I cried quietly into his shirt.

I felt his tears wet the top of my hair as he held me tight while we let the silence encase us once again.


	37. Now 19

**Chapter 37**

**Now**

"Your father is remarried now, right?" Mike asked with an awkward look on his face.

I smiled. "Yes, he is. Him and Sue have been married for a few years now. He met her my first year here, they were married about six months after they met." I explained quietly.

"Your dad moves quickly compared to you and Mr. M." Justin snickered.

I laughed and nodded. "Yes, he does and he has told me so too."

"Is that the only time your dad talked about his relationship with your mom?" Mary-Beth asked quietly.

I nodded sadly. "Yes. I'm sure he would talk about it more if I asked but I don't feel the need to know about it since it didn't work out and she wasn't a part of my life."

Before they could say anything else the bell rang dismissing them for the day.

"Oh, Edward, they're here!" I cheered as we pulled into the garage. There was a brown UPS box sitting on our doorsteps and the only thing we had ordered recently was the puppies with the recording chips in them.

I practically vaulted from the car once it was turned off sprinting as fast as my unbalanced body could sprint. I sliced my house key through the tape on the top of the box and let out a gasp as I saw the two floppy eared dogs inside the box along with the recording devices that would slip inside the back of them after the recording was added to them. "Oh, Edward." I breathed out as I pulled the box over to the porch swing that I was just talking about during 'story time' today. "They're perfect." I told him as I pulled Jaylon's puppy from the box.

"Why isn't there any stuffing in them?" Edward asked pulling Trystan's brown and white puppy from the box.

I chuckled as I spotted the two bags of stuffing in the very bottom of the box. "That's the stuffing there." I told him pointing it out in the box. "It's that way so that we can make them as fluffy or flat as we want them. It also helps with stretching the push button into one of the legs of the dogs because we can add the stuffing after we have the button in place." I explained pulling the recording device with extension button from the smaller box it was in. "See?" I told him laying it all out in my lap.

"That should be simple enough. How many minutes will it hold?" He asked turning the small device over in his hands spotting the USB port that would allow it to be hooked up to a computer for the file transfer.

I smiled at him. "Five minutes. How long is the song?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Just under five minutes. Let's go into the house. I recorded it onto my laptop today at school during my free period since Marcia had the choir out on a field trip."

"Yay!" I can't wait to get these set up and stuffed." I told him dumping everything back into the box.

It took almost an hour to get both puppies stuffed with the recorded modules and stuffing but they both turned out perfect. "These are absolutely perfect." I told him as I carried them up the stairs to put in the boys' rooms. I stopped between the two nurseries. "Which room is who's?" I asked Edward looking between the frog room and the pirate room.

"It's all up to us, baby. We need to buy their letters and get their names hung on the walls behind their cribs." Edward said walking into each room flipping on the light switch before joining me back in the hallway where I stood with the puppies. "Who do you want to have the pirate room?" Edward asked pointing at the room.

I shrugged closing my eyes holding the puppies out to him. "Just pick one." I told him knowing that the puppies had collars with a J on one and a T on the other.

He chuckled as he grabbed one. I knew without looking that Trystan was getting the pirate room because Edward had grabbed his dog. "Jaylon gets the frogs then." I told Edward as I opened my eyes.

Walking into Jaylon's room it just felt right as I sat the stuffed dog into the corner of his crib. "Jaylon, buddy, I really hope you like frogs." I commented as I rubbed my stomach as I walked to the rocker that sat in the corner beside the solitary window in the room. I couldn't help but smile as I looked around the room. Books filled the bookshelves, along with a few stuffed animals, some picture frames, and a piggy bank that already had some money in it. Most of their clothes had already been washed, folded, and put into their dressers and closets. Esme had found a beautiful blue, green, and brown shag rug that covered most of the space in the middle of the room tying everything together perfectly because in the middle of the rug was a frog prince. To keep the room from taking on a feminine tone we had put a lot of frog prince items throughout the room so the rug was fitting.

"What are you doing, baby?" Edward asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

I smiled at him as I soothed my hands down my stomach. "Just admiring the room and how well it has all come together." I told him honestly.

He nodded as he came to sit on the ottoman propping my feet in his lap. "It has. I just got off the phone with Alice who is going to drop the boys' letters off at school tomorrow during lunch."

I gasped because we hadn't told anyone the baby's names yet. "You didn't…" I trailed off as tears pooled in my eyes blurring my vision.

I jerked my chin out of Edward's grasp when he tried to turn my face towards his. "How could you!?" I said loudly.

"Isabella, that is enough!" He said cupping my chin firmly turning my face to his. "I gave her a scrambled list along of their first and middle names so there is no hope of her figuring it out, baby. I wouldn't do that to you, sweetheart." He said gently as he wiped at my tear tracks.

I took an unsteady breath. "I'm sorry, babe." I whispered hoarsely.

He shook his head. "It's no big deal. I know how much it means to you to keep that a secret."

"What if she figures it out?"

"I have that covered too. I told her that if she figured it out to act like she didn't know anything because it meant the world to you to keep it a secret. Baby, you have to remember she's a mother too so she knows the importance of all this to you."

"As always, you are right one again. I love you from-"

"-now until forever." He said repeating the last half with me before kissing me gently. "Now let's order some dinner."

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

"Is this really what you sent Alice?" I asked Edward Tuesday morning as we drove to school. Alice had sent me a frustrated text message because she couldn't make heads or tails of the jumbled letters Edward had sent her.

_JCTEMMDRHAYAYWLRSAOLTRNEADSN…WHAT KIND OF NAMES ARE YOU GIVING MY NEPHEWS!?_

Once Edward glanced at the message he couldn't help but laugh. "That looks about right. See, I told you that you were freaking out over nothing. There is no way anybody could make heads or tails of that jumbled mess." He said as he pulled into the faculty parking lot.

I quickly typed out a message to Alice:

_They are beautiful names, Mary Alice. Are you getting the letters or not?_

_Yes, I will see you two at lunch._

I stowed my phone in my bag before handing it to Edward as we climbed from the car. "You did good, babe. I'm sorry for freaking out last night."

He just laughed as he threw an arm around my shoulders leading me into the school. "All part of my job description, baby, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

As we were walking towards my classroom I spotted a familiar head of hair. "Hey! What are you doing here?" I asked Jasper who was standing just outside his classroom door.

"Hey you two! I'm just checking in to let Dr. Rollins know that I still planned to return next Monday. I figured I would check in on my class while I was in the building." He explained with a smile as he high fived James as he walked into Jasper's classroom.

I giggled because he seemed eager to come back. "Ready to come back already?" I teased him.

He nodded and smiled broadly. "You have no idea. I don't see either of you taking off very long to stay at home with the boys. I love Ali, Ari, and Alex more than anything in this entire world but I need constructivism in my life and teaching gives me that."

"We'll see." Edward told him with a smirk as the warning bell rang overhead.

"It will be good to have you back next week, Jazz. I know the students have missed you." I told him with a sincere smile.

Edward nodded. "Talk to you later, brother." Edward said as he steered us towards my classroom a bit further down the hall.

"I know we've talked about me taking the school year off to stay home with the boys but we haven't even thought about you staying home with us for the year. Is that something you would want to do?" I asked Edward as we walked towards my classroom.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I never thought of it as a possibility even though we have the money to be able to do it. We'll talk about it more at lunch, okay?"

I chewed on my lip as he sat my bag down on the edge of my desk before walking towards me laying his hands on my shoulders. "I will think about it, okay? I promise." He said sincerely as he placed a gentle appropriate kiss to my lips.

"Okay, I love you."

"Love you too, baby."

Alice did indeed drop off the large bag of wooden letters. "These are huge, Alice." I told her as I looked at the stack of wooden letters in the bag.

She nodded. "They are but they can either be hung on the wall behind their cribs by strings or something or they can be sat on top of the dresser or on a shelf also. I was going to buy paint and paint them for you but sense I don't know which letters are going in which room I figured I would leave that up to you guys." She rambled with her hands flying in every direction as she pushed Alex's stroller with her foot to keep him asleep while Ari tinkered with Edward's piano lightly.

"Thanks, Alice, I really do appreciate this. We will stop sometime this week for paint colors and maybe you can come over this weekend to help paint them?"

She smiled broadly. "You know, you will have to tell me their names if you want my help decorating the letters. They have to be coordinated."

I smiled and nodded. "I know." That's all I told her as the ten minute warning bell sounded overhead waking Alex from his slumber.

"This weekend is no good for the decorating party because we are going on a last hurrah before Jazz comes back next week, so maybe next Saturday?"

I nodded. "Sounds good, Ali. Have fun this weekend." I told her just as Alex let out a little cry.

"Okay, I guess that's our cue to leave." She said popping the pacifier into Alex's mouth to soothe his whimpers.

"Bye, Ali!" We called as she collected Ari before scooting out the door.

*~*~*~*J2FT1*~*~*~*

Edward laughed as I tugged the mason jars off the shelf in the living room on our way out the door to school. "Going to the beach today?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yep."

My morning went like it usually did until my Advanced English 12 students walked in. Once the bell rang I held up a jar of beach sand and sea shells to the class. "Who's ready for spring break?" I asked them enthusiastically.

Everyone cheered and jeered in anticipation. "Well, your spring break is still a few weeks out but I will take you back to the spring break of my junior year of college. We went big and headed south for our vacation and let me tell you…"


End file.
